Police in Kenya have arrested the main suspect in the dismemberment of nine women whose bodies were found in a quarry in the capital, Nairobi. The suspect, Collins Jumaisi Khalusha, has confessed to killing 42 women, including his wife, since 2022.
Police in Kenya said Monday they have arrested the main suspect after nine dismembered bodies of women were found in a quarry in the capital, Nairobi.
The head of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, Mohamed Amin, said Collins Jumaisi Khalusha, 33, had confessed to killing 42 women, including his wife, since 2022. They gave no evidence to support his claim of killing 42.
Kenyan Suspect Confesses to Killing 42 Women, Including Wife
He was expected to be arraigned in court Tuesday.
Police said several smartphones and identity cards were found in his house a short walk from the quarry.
Kenyan Suspect Confesses to Killing 42 Women, Including Wife
The bodies were discovered after relatives of one missing woman claimed to have had a dream in which she directed them to search the quarry. The relatives asked a local diver to help, and he discovered the bodies wrapped in sacks.
Acting police inspector general Douglas Kanja said officers in a nearby police station had been transferred to make way for investigations. Locals had accused police of negligence due to the proximity of the quarry and the unresolved missing persons cases filed there.
A statement signed by human rights groups over the weekend urged Kenya’s security agencies to "to expedite investigations into all reports of enforced disappearances." There were initial concerns that the bodies could be linked to abductions and arrests of young people during recent anti-government protests.
The suspect, Khalusha, has a history of violence and mental illness, according to his family. His father told The Associated Press that Khalusha had been treated for schizophrenia in the past.
The killings have shocked and horrified Kenyans. President William Ruto has vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice.
"We will not rest until we have found all those responsible for these heinous crimes and brought them to justice," Ruto said in a statement.
The discovery of the bodies has also raised concerns about the safety of women in Kenya. Gender-based violence is a serious problem in the country, with women often facing abuse, harassment, and even death.
According to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, more than 2,000 women were killed in Kenya between 2018 and 2021. Many of these cases remain unsolved.
The killings in Nairobi have sparked protests and demands for action from the government. Women's rights groups are calling for increased funding for shelters, counseling services, and other programs to support women who are victims of violence.
They are also calling for a change in the culture of violence against women.
"We need to change the way we think about women and violence," said one activist. "We need to stop blaming women for the violence they experience and start holding men accountable."
