Kenyan police arrested a suspect in the brutal murder of journalist Lilian Achieng Aluko, whose body was found in a residence at Kahawa West in Nairobi.
Lilian, a 33-year-old presenter at local station Radio 44, was found dead in her boyfriend’s home on November 1, 2024. Her body showed severe injuries, including bruises on her face and a fatal stab behind her ear. The last time she told her family was that she would spend the night with her boyfriend; that was the last time they heard from her.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations in a statement on Friday said the prime suspect George Mwenda Mutegi had been arrested in Kaanwa in Tharaka Nithi County. Mutegi went into hiding when Lilian’s body was discovered, leading to a manhunt within the entire region. DCI detectives working closely with Meru county leadership traced the suspect’s steps for various days before finding him at his hideout.
DCI reported that on the night of her death, Lilian and Mutegi had been seen socializing at a local establishment before returning to his home in Kahawa West. Later that evening, neighbors reportedly heard distressing screams coming from Mutegi’s locked house, followed by loud music that drowned out the noise. Unaware of the fatal attack, neighbors assumed the couple would resolve their issues and did not intervene further. In the morning, Lilian was found lying in a pool of blood with visible injuries to her face, hips, and with a stab wound.
In its official statement, DCI said, “George Mwenda Mutegi, the prime suspect in the monstrous murder of Ms. Lilian Achieng Aluko, has been arrested after days of a scrupulous manhunt. Mutegi was apprehended from his hideout in Kaanwa, Tharaka Nithi County.” The DCI further noted that the arrest was a result of a meticulous investigation involving a dedicated team from DCI headquarters, bolstered by Meru County counterparts.
The suspect is now in custody awaiting arraignment as DCI affirms its commitment to pursuing justice for victims of such crimes.
