22-year-old Kenyan student who allegedly murdered his parents and brothers is unfit to stand trial, court rules
The 22-year-old student, Lawrence Warunge, who confessed to killing his parents, two brothers and a farmworker in Karura area, Kiambu county, Kenya, is not fit to stand trial, the court has ruled.
This is after a psychiatric report was presented at Kiambu Law Courts on Tuesday, January 26, 2021.
Warunge and his girlfriend were arrested after detectives linked him to the brutal family murder. His two sisters escaped death because they had reported back to school the previous day.
After he was arrested, he confessed to the crime and led police to a residence in Mai Mahiu area where they recovered the murder weapon, a kitchen knife, clothes, shoes and a piece of paper.
Warunge is set to be evaluated and treated in the next 30 days after which more tests will be conducted to assess whether he is fit to stand trial.
Chief magistrate Patricia Gichohi granted the application where Warunge will be held in police custody in Nairobi until March 1, 2021, when the matter will be mentioned.
The second suspect, Sarah, Warunge’s girlfriend has been set free and will now testify as a prosecution witness in the case.
Warunge had confessed to killing his father, mother, brothers and a worker employed by his family.
According to an autopsy report, Ann Wanjiku, Warunge’s mother, had broken arms and is the only one who appears to have tried to block the attacker.
“The other victims seemed to have been caught off guard,” said Chief Government Pathologist Johansen Oduor.
He further explained that there is a high likelihood there was only one attacker due to the nature of injuries on the victims.
“If they were more than one, the weapon used was similar but I think it was one person from what I have seen. When I look at the injuries they look similar and from my observation, it is most likely the weapon used was used on all victims,” Dr. Oduor said.
He added that: “All of them died because of multiple injuries which are caused by blunt and penetrating trauma and also a significant loss of blood.”
Meanwhile, the four family members were buried in a mass grave last week.
