Daniel Muthiani: DPP Clarifies Why Suspect In Murder Of Meru Blogger Is Yet To Be Charged

• Office of the Directorate of Public Prosecution (ODPP) denied negligence in the handling of Danie Muthiani's murder case
• According to ODPP, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations has not forwarded the inquiry file regarding the murder of the Meru-based blogger
• Kenyans have been demanding justice after the mutilated body of Muthiani was found dumped in a river in Tharaka Nithi county

Amos Khaemba, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.

Nairobi - The Office of the Directorate of Public Prosecution (ODPP) has issued a statement regarding the murder of Meru blogger Daniel Muthiani, alias Sniper.

Kenyans had taken to social media to criticise the ODPP for its failure to charge the person who was accused of luring Muthiani on the day he went missing before being found dead.

Why was the suspect in Muthiani's abduction freed?

However, in a statement, ODPP said the suspect, identified as Muriithi Kirimi, also known as Supuu Wa Mioro, was charged with the abduction of Muthiani but later released by the Maua court.

"The Chief Magistrate's court in Maua, Meru county declined to grant custodial orders as sought by the DCI through ODPP but instead granted the suspect a cash bail of KSh 20,000 and ordered the suspect to report to the police station every 14 days. The court also set the application for January 5," ODPP said.

After the blogger's body was found, the ODPP directed the Directorate of Criminal Investigation to investigate Muthiani's murder.

However, ODPP said the DCI has yet to submit an inquiry file about the gruesome murder of the Meru-based blogger.

"Following the recovery of the body of the abducted person, the ODPP directed the DCI to undertake investigations for the offence of murder and submit the resultant inquiry file for perusal and further directions. The ODPP has not received the inquiry file into the offence of murder to date," the statement added.

ODPP assured Kenyans that upon receiving the inquiry file for the murder, the office would give appropriate directions in accordance with the law.

What did the postmortem examination reveal?

As reported earlier, a postmortem examination conducted on the body of the murdered Meru blogger revealed that he was strangled.

During a press briefing on Friday, December 22, after the examination at the Marimanti Level 4 Hospital Mortuary, government pathologist Johansen Oduor said Sniper had marks on his neck.

He explained that he showed signs of a person who lacked oxygen, had fractured ribs, and showed injuries on his head, which suggested that he was strangled before being thrown into a river.