Two arrested for allegedly killing woman in Machakos

Two people have been arrested in connection with a woman’s murder in Yatta, Machakos County.

The duo, both men, are the owner of a motor vehicle suspected to have been used to ferry the deceased, Elizabeth Wambui Syengo, to the scene where her body was later found dumped, and a boda boda rider. They were arrested on Tuesday.

Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) attached to Yatta Police Station are investigating the incident.

According to officers, the two suspects are believed to have been with the deceased’s husband when she was murdered and her body dumped in a forest. The husband has since gone into hiding and is being pursued by police.

The arrests were reported to Yatta Police Station as a follow-up report and arrest of murder suspects on Tuesday at 8.50pm.

“In reference to the earlier murder incident report vide OB No. 24/26/01/2026, the deceased has been identified as Elizabeth Wambui Syengo. Preliminary investigations have also disclosed that she was murdered by her husband, who is still on the run,” a police report seen by the Star read in part.

It continued: “So far, the owner of a silver Toyota Probox and a boda boda rider, who were believed to be in the company of the husband, have been arrested and placed in custody at Matuu Police Station, awaiting arraignment before Kithimani Law Courts on Thursday for a miscellaneous application for a custodial order. The vehicle has been detained as an exhibit.”

On January 26, a member of the public made a phone call to Yatta Police Station after stumbling upon the woman’s body. This prompted investigations that led to the arrests.

The murder incident report was made at the same station under OB No. 24/26/01/2026 at 7.50pm.

The reportee stated that there was a dead body outside a bush along the Thika–Garissa Road.

Police officers from Yatta Police Station and the DCI Yatta rushed to the scene and found the lifeless body of an unknown woman, aged about 35 years, lying face down. Upon further examination, it was established that the body had several physical injuries, including an open wound on the right ear and a deep cut on the chest suspected to have been inflicted by a sharp object.

The officers removed the body to Machakos Level Five Hospital mortuary pending an autopsy. An inquest number 1/2026 was opened.