logo
ADVERTISEMENT

Former NIS officer’s house torched in Kitui

The former spy and his wife were being held by DCI over the murder of a businesswoman

image
by MUSEMBI NZENGU

News03 July 2025 - 16:24
ADVERTISEMENT

In Summary


  • According to Kavaini Chief Timothy Muthui, the former intelligence officer and his wife, a nurse, were not in the house at the time of the incident.
  • The couple was in police custody for interrogation over the murder of a businesswoman whose body was found dumped along the Thika–Garissa highway near Kavaini Market on Saturday night.
The house belonging to a former NSIS officer that was torched in the wee hours of Thursday, as seen from a distance. [PHOTO: MUSEMBI NZENGU]

A house belonging to a retired senior National Intelligence Service (NIS) officer was set ablaze by unknown arsonists early Thursday morning in Kavaini area, Mwingi West, Kitui County.

According to Kavaini Chief Timothy Muthui, the former intelligence officer and his wife, a nurse, were not in the house at the time of the incident.

The couple was in police custody for interrogation over the murder of a businesswoman whose body was found dumped along the Thika–Garissa highway near Kavaini Market on Saturday night.

“The occupants of the home, the man and wife, were being held by DCI sleuths. They were therefore not around when their house was torched,” Chief Muthui said.

The couple was arrested on Sunday, a day after the body of the businesswoman—who lived nearby—was discovered by residents headed to church.

While no injuries were reported in the arson attack, the chief confirmed that property worth millions of shillings was destroyed in the fire.

The suspects behind the attack remain unknown and are believed to have fled immediately after setting the house ablaze.

Chief Muthui said further investigations would be carried out but hinted that angry members of the community may have been behind the act, possibly in retaliation for the woman’s murder.

A section of the Thika-Garissa highway that was barricaded by residents of Kavaini in Kitui county.

Following the discovery of the body on Sunday morning, residents staged demonstrations at Kavaini Market.

The protest disrupted business operations and led to the blockade of the busy Thika–Garissa highway, affecting transport on both sides.

Anti-riot police were deployed to restore order and fired tear gas to disperse the protesters, some of whom had vowed not to leave until action was taken.

 Officers also fired in the air several times to scare off the crowd during a brief confrontation that lasted about 15 minutes.

Residents accused police of taking too long to collect the body and of dragging their feet in arresting the suspects, despite locals claiming to know who was responsible.

The couple was still being held by DCI officers for further questioning as investigations into both the murder and the arson continued.

 

Related Articles

ADVERTISEMENT