Stolen phone leads to serial killer's conviction in Baringo

A stolen phone led to the conviction of confessed serial killer Moses Kipchirchir in Baringo County.

Four years ago, Kipchirchir made headlines after he was found with the phone of Veronica Kanini, a local businesswoman who had been killed in Mogotio area in the county.

His arrest later uncovered other murders he had allegedly committed, with victims buried in shallow graves.

Kipchirchir was convicted last week after Kabarnet High Court Judge Rachel Ngetich noted that he had Kanini’s phone and was the last person seen with her. The judge noted that Kanini was last seen with Kipchirchir, who admitted to receiving Sh4,800 transferred from Kanini’s phone to his.

“Kipchirchir provided no credible explanation for having Kanini’s phone shortly after she was reported missing,” the court observed.

Kanini’s daughter, Rahab Wanjiru, said her mother boarded a vehicle from Nakuru to Mogotio at 6am, promising to return by noon, but never arrived. Attempts to reach her by phone failed, and by 10pm, the phone was intermittently on and off. Her father informed Rahab that her mother had been kidnapped.

Kanini’s husband, Mariko Njuguna, said he had travelled to Nairobi and expected a call from his wife upon arrival in Mogotio. At around 4pm, she called him, saying she was about to leave Mogotio.

Upon returning home, Njuguna noticed missed calls and learnt from a neighbour that his wife had called, claiming to be in hospital and needing Sh3,000 for treatment.

“I called her, and she asked me to send the money, and that she would explain everything later, but could hear someone telling her to speak Swahili,” he added.

Despite sending the money, he sensed danger and reported the incident to the DCI office in Mogotio. At 11pm, Kanini’s phone was switched on again. The following day, detectives arrested Kipchirchir. Her body was discovered 14 days later in a shallow grave, doused with acid.

Rosemary Chebiwot, a posho mill operator, testified that Kipchirchir worked for her casually. She recalled Kanini visiting her workplace on November 11, 2021, looking for Kipchirchir.

Kanini bought tablecloths, paying a deposit of Sh1,000 and agreeing to pay the balance the next day. She later returned and paid Sh2,000, citing a debt, while seeking Kipchirchir, who was absent.

Investigation officer Johnson Wambulwa testified that, with the intelligence bureau, they traced Kipchirchir after tracking Kanini’s phone, which had been switched off in Mogotio.

On arrest, he was found with her phone, and Sh4,800 had been transferred to his account. On November 23, Kipchirchir led police to the Molo River, where Kanini’s body had been buried. Pathologist George Biketi confirmed she had been strangled and sexually assaulted.

Kipchirchir denied involvement, claiming Kanini had sold him bed covers and failed to deliver, prompting him to return the money. The judge concluded that he failed to provide a credible explanation for possessing Kanini’s phone shortly after her disappearance.