- New CCTV footage has dramatically shifted the direction of the murder trial for socialite Starlet Wahu
- In the clip presented in court, main suspect, John Matara, is seen leaving the crime scene with bloodstains on his legs
- As the High Court case unfolds, chilling testimonies from security guards and medical professionals continue to reveal disturbing details about the events surrounding her death
The murder trial of slain socialite Starlet Wahu took a chilling turn when new CCTV footage was presented in court.
Source: Facebook
In the clip, the main suspect, John Matara Ong’oa, is captured leaving the AirBnB apartment where Wahu’s body was later discovered, with what appeared to be bloodstains on his legs.
Where’s Starlet Wahu’s murder case being heard?
The case, being heard at the High Court in Milimani, continues to grip the nation, with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) presenting four more witnesses.
This is part of the ongoing effort by the ODPP to piece together the events of that fateful night, January 3, 2024, at Papino Apartments in South B, Nairobi.
The prosecution team, led by Della Wilbey, Sarah Ogweno, and Peris Maina, called to the stand a clinical officer, a police forensic analyst, and two security guards whose testimonies offered harrowing details of what unfolded before and after Wahu’s death.
“He appeared intoxicated and was bleeding,” medical witness told court
Where was John Matara treated?
Isaiah Omondi Olang, a clinical officer at South B Hospital, told the court that at around 11 pm that night, he treated a man who had sustained stab wounds to his right thigh and right hand.
He added that the patient, later identified as the accused, appeared to be under the influence of alcohol.
Olang recalled that he and three colleagues cleaned and dressed the wounds, administered painkillers, and issued a referral to Mbagathi Hospital at the patient’s request.
“He was restless, appeared in pain, and stayed at the hospital for less than two hours,” Olang said.
CCTV expert sheds light on sequence of events
The second witness, forensic video analyst police constable Elizabeth Njuguna, described how she received CCTV footage from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) for review.
The footage, stored on a flash disk, contained nine video clips showing a man and woman entering Papino Apartments together on the evening of January 3.
Njuguna testified that the man was dressed in a black cap, blue long-sleeved shirt, brown trousers, and carried a red bag.
Later clips showed the same man, now alone, leaving the building around 10:11 pm., wearing a white cloth around his neck and with visible stains on his leg suspected to be blood.
“The footage played smoothly and sequentially without any signs of editing or manipulation,” Njuguna told the court.
However, she added that the man’s face was not clearly visible, making positive identification impossible.
Security guards recount grisly discovery
Two security guards, Joseph Ndungi and George Gitau, were the final witnesses of the day.
Ndungi, stationed at Solace Park Apartments nearby, said he saw a man in a blue T-shirt, white towel, and khaki trousers leaving Papino Apartments around the same time.
“He looked suspicious. His trousers had stains that looked like blood,” Ndungi recounted.
When Ndungi contacted his colleague Gitau to verify the man’s movements, the two reviewed CCTV footage and decided to inspect the building.
Source: Facebook
How Starlet Wahu’s body was found
Following a trail of blood to the fourth floor, they found it leading to door number Y32, which was locked.
Gitau contacted the apartment owner, Florence, who arrived with a spare key. Upon entry, the guards discovered the lifeless body of Starlet Wahu surrounded by pools of blood.
“There were visible injuries on her neck, and blood was splattered from the bedroom to the sitting room,” Ndungi told the court, visibly shaken.
He later confirmed that the man captured on CCTV was the same person seated in the dock, John Matara.
Starlet Wahu’s murder rocked Kenya
The hearing was adjourned when three more witnesses are expected to testify as the prosecution continues to build its case.
The shocking murder of Wahu, a rising socialite with a growing online following, sent waves of grief and outrage across Kenya.
For her family, friends, and supporters, every court session brings painful reminders, but also renewed hope that justice is inching closer.
Proofreading by Asher Omondi, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
