A murder suspect who was in 2018 charged with the brutal murder of nine-year-old Maribel Kapolon, daughter to Embu Senior Magistrate Carol Kemei, has been found guilty.

Benson Kimathi Marangu  (45), a former prison warden, was sentenced to 40 years while his co-accused Francis Otundo was found guilty of threatening to kill the deceased & was sentenced to 5 years imprisonment which he has already served since his arrest.   

The judges ruled that although the second suspect was not involved in the murder of the child, he was an opportunist who took advantage when the girl was reported missing and tried to extort the family. The man had reportedly called the family and asked for ransom.

Benson Kimathi was found guilty of killing Maribel after a relationship with the mother failed.

While delivering the ruling, judge  Lucy Gitari said that all the evidence provided in court proved without a doubt that Benson Kimathi murdered the young girl after a failed relationship with the mother and dumped the body at Gitoro forest in Meru County.

The court heard that the accused had a very close relationship with Maribel where he would pick her up at a petrol station along Meru town- Makutano road after being dropped off by the school bus.

On the fateful day, the girl was nowhere to be found after the accused developed a disagreement with the girl’s mother making him the first suspect.

https://www.kenyaforum.net/politics/murder-suspects-in-meru-magistrate-daughters-murder-due-in-court/