John Matara, the main suspect in the gruesome murder of socialite Starlet Wahu, has once again found himself in trouble after another victim emerged with fresh details about how he targeted and nearly killed her five days before Starlet’s murder.
The body of Starlet, the sister of controversial preacher Pastor Victor Kanyari was found lying in a pool of blood at an Airbnb in South B, Nairobi after spending some time with Matara.
In the fresh details likely to incriminate the suspect, the victim claimed that Matara, 30, lured her into a similar trap on December 29, 2023.
At the time, they booked an Airbnb where they spent some time before he assaulted and stabbed her with a kitchen knife leaving her with stab wounds.
The victim who spoke to a local publication also detailed that the suspect tortured her with a hot iron box to compel her to give him access to her financial accounts.
“Alinifinya akanigwara mapaja na mwili, I was being subjected to this so that I can give him my password. Anakuchoma na ironbox so that ufungue simu password,” she said.
Starlet’s death
The revelation comes hours after the lifeless body of Wahu was found lying in a pool of blood in room Y32 of the Papino building where the Airbnb was situated.
Police who found the body noted that the deceased was murdered on the night of January 3, 2024.
CCTV footage obtained from the scene showed the two on the building’s ground floor at 8.11 pm on January 3, 2024. At the time, the two were conversing happily as they waited for the elevator to pick them up to their destinated floor.
Officers who conducted a thorough investigation on the crime scene recovered circumstantial evidence including a HIV test kit with negative results, used condoms, the victim’s clothes, alcohol and a knife believed to be a murder weapon used.
“Tukapata simu ya rununu, condom mbili zenye moja imetumika na ingine haijatumika,” Makadara police commander Judith Nyongesa said.
Matara was not at the scene of the crime when the officers arrived, however, he was traced to Mbagathi Hospital where he was undergoing treatment for stab wounds.
Police are yet to distinguish whether Matara stabbed himself after killing Starlet to mislead them or if he was stabbed by the deceased during the scuffle.
“He was not the boyfriend so far but we are still investigating who this person to the deceased. He had stab wounds which we are yet to investigate how he got them.
“Kesi inaendelea tunataka kujua kiini ya huyu muuaji ni nini. Na kwa nini alifanyia huyu mschana mapenzi baadaye akamuua. Na alimuweka kwenye process ya kufanya HIV test ata akavaa kujizuia ugonjwa, akavaa condom na mwisho akamuua. Maybe he is a serial killer,” police added.
Matara is currently cooling his heels at the Industrial Area Police Station while police continue with investigations.
The deceased, on the other hand, was laid to rest in an intimate burial ceremony at her home in Kamulu, Ruai.
