In a chilling turn of events, the third and final suspect in the murder of hair stylist Jeniffer Mwende, also known as Jane, has been apprehended. Phyllis Nzula Mbithi, the prime suspect in the gruesome murder, was taken into custody in Kitengela town as she attempted to flee to Tanzania. Her arrest marked the culmination of weeks of relentless efforts by crime research detectives who relied on forensic-led intelligence to track her down.
The case of Jeniffer Mwende‘s disappearance and subsequent murder exposed a harrowing tale of a fatal love triangle that had taken a sinister turn. The meticulous investigation into her disappearance brought Phyllis Nzula Mbithi into the spotlight, as it emerged that she had repeatedly threatened Mwende over a married man they were both involved with.
The alarm was raised when Mwende failed to show up at her workplace, leaving her fellow salonists and friends deeply concerned. Her brother, who reported her missing at Mlolongo Police Station on August 29, 2023, revealed that she had last been seen on August 25, after receiving an unestablished call.
The investigation was initially handled at the local level, but after days of fruitless searching, the case was escalated to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI). Fresh investigations were initiated, and statements were recorded from individuals of interest. Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau detectives, supported by teams from the DCI National Forensic Laboratory, sprang into action.
A crucial breakthrough in the case came from interviews with the caretaker of the room Mwende had rented. The caretaker revealed that on August 22 and August 24, unknown women had visited Mwende’s residence in her absence, inquiring about her whereabouts.
Forensic analysis of Mwende’s last moments suggested a carefully planned plot to end her life, orchestrated by the prime suspect, Phyllis, and aided by two other women.
The investigation revealed that Phyllis used a neighbor named Faith Nthenya to lure Mwende to her demise through a deceptive phone call, claiming that clients were seeking her services at a specific house. Faith directed Mwende to Phyllis’s house, which was purportedly the location of the clients.
Once inside, Mwende was overpowered by the two women. Phyllis then called a third woman, Evelyne Wanza Katumbu, who happened to be the wife of the man at the center of the love triangle, Januaris Musau Mulwa. Wanza was protective of her husband and accused Phyllis of being the other woman. To save herself, Phyllis plotted to frame Mwende as a fellow paramour and pointed the finger at her to Wanza.
In a horrifying turn of events, Phyllis and Wanza, fearing that Mwende might report them to the police, strangled her. Phyllis used a bedsheet, while Faith suffocated her with pieces of cloth, ensuring there were no screams.
Interrogations of Wanza and Faith, who had already been arrested, revealed that Phyllis had initially planned to have the body secretly transported to a forest by an unknown taxi driver. However, their plan was thwarted when they couldn’t access the main gate. They ultimately resorted to disposing of the body in a pit latrine.
Phyllis had evaded capture and remained on the police radar, moving between Mombasa and Kibwezi, until her eventual arrest.
The suspect’s arraignment is scheduled for Monday, October 30, where she will join her accomplices, Faith and Wanza, who had previously pleaded to murder charges. The tragic case of Jeniffer Mwende serves as a stark reminder of the horrifying consequences that can arise from complex and tumultuous relationships.