NAIROBI,Kenya, Mar, 31 – They thought that they had gotten away with committing a crime so shocking and despicable. Their attempts to flee the country and enter neighboring Tanzania however provided futile after the long arm of the law caught up with them.
Phylis Njeri and her husband Jackson Ngui are alleged to have tortured their friend’s three year-old son to death before dumping his body.
The deceased was identified as David Ndung’u. He is said to have breathed his last, shockingly as his elder brother Peter Ndung’u, was forced to watch it all unfold.
According to preliminary reports, the deceased mother, Maureen Njoki, is said to have left her two sons in the care of her friend, Njeri as she went the middle-eastern nation of Saudi Arabia in search of employment.
She traveled to the the Middle East on October,4,2021.
Sleuths probing the case say that the accused and his husband tortured the young boy and later after realizing he was not okay attempted to take him to a local dispensary. The three year-old is however said to have succumbed to his injury as the accused dumped his body at the Mama Lucy Hospital.
“Upon realising the gravity of their actions, the murderous couple desperately attempted to seek medication at local chemists. Baby David’s body had severe burns on both hands, legs and buttocks. It also had fresh injuries on the neck, the back and face, signifying the extent of torture the minor underwent, before his painful death,” said DCI Boss George Kinoti.
The deceased mother told detectives that she had initially sought the help of her maternal grandmother who in turn expressed difficulties in taking care of the children before leaving her sons with Njeri on January 4,2022.
Njeri is said to have been a teacher where the deceased’s elder brother used to study hence a familiar face to the children.
She left For Saudi Arabia around the same time.
Detectives further say that the mother of the deceased said that the children’s father had initially taken them to spend time with them over the christmas period before she later left them with her friend.
The father, reports say, did not have a proper accommodation and could not provide for them adequately.
Meanwhile,upon concerns raised by the mother and public outcry, the suspects were arrested on Tuesday at Illasit village, close to the Kenya-Tanzanian border.
Detectives from the Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau (CRIB), the Homicide branch, and Nairobi regional office had been tracing their every move prior to arresting them.
“Further forensic analysis conducted at the couple’s house in Kwa Maji area within Mowlem, in Kamukunji sub-county, revealed that the baby was killed in the house before his body was dumped at Mama Lucy Kibaki hospital mortuary,” the DCI.
DCI revealed that among exhibits which have since been admitted as evidence include a whip.
It is said to have been used on the deceased’s brother who received threats if he dared to reveal what transpired.
The caretaker of the suspect’s home is also set to be grilled by detectives with police saying he forced the deceased’s brother to clean the house of the blood stains.
“I was convinced she would take good care of my children since in the past she was very caring and would even give my son food when he did not carry some to school. Sometimes she could even allow my son to study without school fees,” said the deceased’s mother, Njoki.
While In Saudi Arabia Njoki is said to have spoken to Njeri on the phone on February1.2022 and promised to send her money as up-keep.
She sent her Sh10,600 on February 6,2022.
“I sent her Sh10,600 and she confirmed receipt and really appreciated. I, however, tried communicating to her the following day in vain,” Njoki said.
Throughout her difficulties,Njoki says that the would be killer of her son had constantly encouraged her and even told her to, ‘keep the faith’ that all would be well.
Njoki is then said to have called her phone on February 10,2022 and was unable to reach her as her phone was picked by another man.
Njoki’s husband is then later said to have called and was able to speak to his elder son who claimed that they were doing well.
Investigations meanwhile revealed that the deceased was killed on February 23 and his boy wrapped in bedsheets.
The body is said to have been disposed off that night.
The next day meanwhile, the elder brother is said to have gone to school since he was graduating. His father, who managed to leave his manual job in Thika is said to have attended the graduation and even took pictures before sending them to his wife in Saudi Arabia.
“I saw the photo and knew something was wrong. I told the father that Peter’s smile was fake and he should endeavour to establish what was wrong,” Njoki said.
True to a mother’s intuition, the worst unfortunately had occurred. Her younger son had been killed.
The deceased father would on February 27,2022 go to check on his son only to learn that since attending his graduation, he had been living alone and that his guardians had abandoned him.
It was also here where he learnt of what had happened.
After grilling the caretaker he was told that the couple taking care of his children had fled their home three days earlier never to return.
After concerns mounted over the whereabouts of his younger son ,they decided to visit Mama Lucy Hospital and it is here where they found his body.
The accused are now set to be arraigned Thursday over the murder of David Ndung’u.
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