The prime suspect in the murder of Lilian Achieng Aluko, has been arrested following a days-long manhunt.
According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Mutegi was apprehended at his hideout in Kaanwa, Tharaka Nithi County, by a team of detectives from DCI headquarters working with local Meru officers.
The DCI noted that Mutegi’s arrest followed thorough investigations initiated on November 1, 2024—the night Mutegi is suspected of killing Aluko, his girlfriend.
According to the DCI, Mutegi went into hiding immediately after the incident, attempting to erase all traces linking him to the crime.
Neighbors reported waking up to find Aluko’s lifeless body, which bore a stab wound behind her right ear and visible injuries to her face and hips. Authorities believe Aluko, a 33-year-old radio presenter, spent the night with Mutegi at a local venue before the two returned to his Kahawa West home.
“In an ugly turn of events, the attention of the neigbours was drawn to loud screams from Mutegi’s locked house, which were quickly deafened by loud noise from his sound system. Unaware that the distress call was the last Achieng would ever make, the neighbours went back to their houses hoping that the duo would resolve their issues. That night, the life of a 33-year-old lady with a blossoming career as a presenter at a local radio station was ended,” the DCI stated.
Police reports indicate that on the night of the incident, neighbors heard screams from Mutegi’s locked house, which were soon drowned out by loud music. Assuming the couple would resolve their dispute, neighbors reportedly returned to their homes, unaware it was Aluko’s last cry for help.
Mutegi is now being processed for arraignment, and the DCI has stated it will continue investigating similar cases to ensure justice for all victims of gender-based violence.