Fear as Ndarugu River turns dumping ground of suspected murder victims
Rift Valley
By
Ken Gachuhi
| Aug 28, 2025
Njoro residents have raised alarm over rising cases of bodies recovered from River Ndarugu, believed to be victims of unsolved murders spanning over the last one month.
The body of the latest victim, Dorcas Nyabutu, was found on August 26, 2025, floating in the river at a notorious crime spot-Kenyatta Bridge, by residents who alerted the authorities.
Nyabutu, 48, is the third victim to be recovered from the river in a span of one month, her death leaving many questions unanswered.
Stanley Koech, the Njoro Sub-County Police Commander, said that the deceased left her house on the morning of August 20 between 6 am and 7 am but never returned.
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“The husband woke up and inquired from the children about the whereabouts of their mother. They told him she had left supposedly to open her hotel, where she never arrived that morning,” said Koech.
The sub-county police boss added that the husband later in the day reached out to her employees, who confirmed that they had not seen her.
“The family came to Njoro Police Station on August 21, 2025 and made a report of a missing person. Investigations commenced only for a body to be found five days later,” said Koech.
Sub-county police boss said that the body was removed to Egerton University Funeral home with no visible injuries that could be linked to the death.
“The body was already decomposing after staying in the waters for several days. The cause of death will only be established through an autopsy,” said Koech.
Silas Njoroge, who was among those who witnessed the body being retrieved from the river but could not identify the body at the scene.
“It wasn't until the body was cleaned at the morgue that I managed to identify it as that of my spouse, whom we had been searching for. I hope that the puzzle of her death will be unravelled,” said Njoroge.
On August 10, 2025, the body of Mercy Wambui, 40, was recovered a few meters from where that of the late Nyabutu was recovered three days after she was reported missing.
The body had multiple injuries inflicted on her head using a sharp object, indicating that there was foul play in her death.
“The body of the woman was identified and handed over to the family. For now, I can’t disclose much on the case, which is under active investigation,” said Koech.
Still within the same river, the body of an elderly man was recovered a week earlier, the cases leaving the residents distraught.
“We are fearing for our security since the criminals appear to be operating along the same route, using the river as a dumping ground for the victims,” said John Njoroge, a resident.
Daniel Mwangi, the chairperson of a local bodaboda group, noted that the Kenyatta Bridge, which runs through an aforested area a remains a dangerous spot harbouring the criminals.
“The bridge requires high mast lights to be erected. We no longer operate along the route once it is dark. Often, we find suspicious people hanging around the bridge. As riders, we have to pair and escort one passenger if we have to use the bridge,” said Mwangi.
The Sub-County Police Commander said that the concerns by the residents had been received and the information was being used to conduct investigations.
“We are doing what we can to unravel what is happening in the area. We have undertaken deployment to observe activities in that area and hope to bring the culprits to book,” said Koech.