ODPP says yet to receive inquiry file on murder of Meru blogger

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) says it has not received an inquiry file on the murder of Meru blogger Daniel Muthiani, commonly known as Sniper.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, ODPP pledged to give appropriate directions into the case upon receipt of the inquiry file from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).

“Following the recovery of the body of the abducted person, the ODPP directed the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to undertake investigations for the offence of murder and submit the resultant inquiry file for perusal and further directions,” the statement read.

ODPP further explained that a suspect, Vincent Muriithi also known as Supuu Wa Mioro had been arrested on suspicion of abducting the deceased.

“Owing to the fact that the whereabouts of abducted person was unknown, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), through the ODPP filed Criminal Miscellaneous application No. E116 of 2023 seeking custodial orders pending completion of investigations.

“The Chief Magistrate’s court in Maua, Meru County declined to grant custodial orders as sought by the DCI through the ODPP but instead granted the suspect a cash bail of Ksh20,000 and ordered the suspect to report to the police station every 14 days. The court also set the application for mention on 5th January, 2024.”

Muthiani’s body was discovered on 16^th December, 2023 in Mutonga River, Tharaka Nithi after he went missing for two weeks.

A postmortem conducted by Chief Government Pathologist Johansen Odour showed that he had been strangled.