Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga has called on investigators to fast-track investigations and ensure swift justice for the family of nine-year-old Shantel Waruguru Kagema, whose body was recovered from a pit latrine in Kianjathi village, Mathira West.
Detectives from Mathira West retrieved the minor’s lifeless body from a freshly dug pit latrine on Tuesday, days after she was reported missing on February 8, 2026. The shocking discovery has sparked outrage and grief across Nyeri County.
A 35-year-old man identified as Peter Njuguna, who is said to be an uncle to the girl and a prime suspect in the killing, has been arrested and is in police custody as investigations continue.
Describing the incident as heart-wrenching and inhumane, Governor Kahiga raised concern over what he termed as a worrying rise in cases of violence against children in the county. He pledged his administration’s support to security agencies to ensure perpetrators of such crimes face the full force of the law.
“This evening my heart goes out to the late Shantel Waruguru Kagema, a nine-year-old rose flower that has been cut off before budding,” Kahiga posted on his official Facebook page.
“I urge the law enforcers and the system to ensure conviction is obtained and that the suspect faces the full force of the law. These horrible acts of defiling young girls are becoming far too common. My government urges quick dispensation of justice,” he added.
The governor noted that the county was still reeling from the murder of seven-year-old Tamara, who was killed in May 2025. In that case, the suspect, Nicholas Julius Macharia, allegedly defiled, strangled and buried the child inside his rented house in Witemere slums on the outskirts of Nyeri town. The suspect remains in custody awaiting a court ruling.
Preliminary investigations by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) indicate that on the morning of her disappearance, Shantel’s parents left her at home with her four-year-old sister. When they returned at around 6:30 p.m., they found her missing and immediately alerted police.
An extensive search was launched, leading to the discovery of disturbing clues in an abandoned house nearby. Undergarments and shoes found on an old blue mattress were later identified by the distraught family as belonging to the missing girl.
Investigators have also established that on the day of the incident, the suspect allegedly gave Shantel’s younger sister Sh10 to buy sweets at a nearby kiosk, leaving the victim alone.
Mathira West Sub-County Police Commander Pixley Musyoki told KNA that detectives at the scene established Njuguna was the last person seen with the minor before her disappearance.
“We are currently treating Peter Njuguna as our prime suspect since he was the last person seen in the company of the slain girl. We have recovered the girl’s undergarments and those of the suspect and forwarded them to Nairobi for forensic analysis,” said Musyoki.
He added that police had sought to detain the suspect for 21 days to complete investigations, but the court directed that he be presented to stand trial within two weeks.
Musyoki further disclosed that the suspect is being held at a secure location within Nyeri for safety reasons due to rising public anger over the incident.
The tragic death has reignited debate over child protection and the need for heightened vigilance within communities. Leaders and residents have called for stronger enforcement of laws protecting children and faster prosecution of cases involving gender-based and sexual violence.
As investigations continue, residents of Mathira West and the larger Nyeri County remain united in grief, demanding justice for Shantel and renewed commitment to safeguarding children from violence.
By Samuel Maina
