Inside Rita Waeni’s agonizing demise

The recent autopsy on the 20-year-old woman, Rita Waeni, found murdered and dismembered in a Nairobi suburb, reveals that she suffered a painful death. Chief Government pathologist Johansen Oduor stated on January 19, 2023, that Rita was murdered, and a sharp object was used to remove her skin. Her bones were also cut with a power saw, an unprecedented incident in the pathologist’s forensic experience.

Oduor further highlighted that the killer attempted to clip the victim’s fingernails, possibly in an effort to erase his DNA. Samples have been collected for further analysis as detectives intensify efforts to apprehend the perpetrators. The head of the deceased is still missing, adding to the grim nature of the crime.

The unidentified man responsible for the murder had rented an AirBnB unit, specifically house number B1 on the first floor of the Green House Apartments. The room was rented by a middle-aged man who did not provide personal details. Rita Waeni’s brutal murder shocked the nation, occurring shortly after the killing of socialite Starlet Wahu in a short-stay apartment in South B, Nairobi, just a week earlier.

Waeni’s family reported receiving a ransom message demanding Sh500,000 shortly before her body was discovered. The University student had been lured to her death by a man she met on Instagram, emphasizing the dangers of online interactions. The tragic similarity to Wahu’s case, who also met her killer through a dating application, has ignited widespread outrage, with human rights groups and politicians, including opposition leader Raila Odinga, expressing deep concern.