A high-profile family murder conspiracy case in Naivasha has taken a dramatic turn after the presiding magistrate stepped aside, citing mounting publicity and pressure surrounding the matter.
Naivasha Senior Resident Magistrate Wilson Rading on Monday recused himself from hearing the case against 73-year-old farmer Francis Muya, who is accused of plotting to kill five members of his family.
The magistrate directed that the file be placed before the Principal Magistrate for further directions.
Muya faces five counts of conspiracy to murder — including his estranged wife, Rose Njeri Muya — along with their three sons, Antony Mwaura, Martin Muya, and Alex Muya, and daughter, Oprah Muya.
Prosecutors allege that between March 1 and May 2, 2024, Muya, jointly with others not before the court, hired assassins for over Sh3 million to eliminate the relatives.
Court documents indicate that Muya’s daughter and her fiancé, both based in the United States, are also wanted for similar charges.
Investigators claim the trio conspired to kill the victims to seize a prime plot in Molo town.
According to a sworn statement by State witness Paul Waithaka, the plan began on March 1, 2024, when Muya and his daughter allegedly met two hired killers at a hotel in Nakuru.
“They wanted us to kidnap the mother, the three sons and a daughter, force them to transfer the plot to their name and later kill them,” the statement reads. The fee for the job was allegedly set at Kshh3.1 million, with the daughter flying back from the US to facilitate payment.
Delivering his ruling virtually, Magistrate Rading said: “It’s the right for anyone to make noises and for justice to be done. I recuse myself from this case and direct that the file be placed before the Principal Magistrate for directions.” He noted that some family members had staged protests over the handling of the matter.
Speaking outside the Naivasha Law Courts, the family’s lawyer, Mbugua Macharia, welcomed the decision, saying the case had stalled for more than a year. “The magistrate has recused himself and we welcome the decision as the case has completely stalled.
We are looking forward to directions by the Principal Magistrate,” he said. He further noted that the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) had previously recalled the file, and repeated adjournments had derailed progress.
