Four Arrested as Police Investigate Woman’s Body Delivered in Parcel

Police in Murang’a County are investigating the discovery of a woman’s body that was delivered to Kangari Police Station disguised as a parcel.

The deceased, 53-year-old Hannah Wanjiku, had been living in Njiiris village after reportedly fleeing her marital home in Mairi due to domestic abuse. Her sister, Mary Kiiru, said Wanjiku had moved out three months earlier and was working as a casual labourer in nearby tea plantations. Family members said they were notified of her death on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, a taxi driver arrived at Kangari Police Station with what he believed to be a parcel, saying he had been hired by a hooded man who paid him KSh500 to deliver it to an individual in Kangari town. After waiting for nearly an hour without anyone coming forward to collect it, he handed the parcel over to the police for safekeeping.

Officers assisting the driver noticed a foul smell and unusual weight, and flies had begun to gather around the package. Upon inspection, the parcel was found to contain Wanjiku’s body, wrapped in clothing and blankets and packed into two white sacks. Among the items used to conceal the body was a blazer marked with the insignia of Gatanga Secondary School.

Kigumo Sub-county Police Commander Hassan Bashir confirmed that four people have been arrested in connection with the case: Wanjiku’s estranged husband, two of her sons, and the taxi driver. All are currently in custody as investigations continue.

The body was transferred to the Githumu Hospital mortuary, where a postmortem examination will be conducted to determine the cause of death. Forensic teams are also analysing evidence to establish who may have handled or transported the parcel before its arrival at the station.

While the taxi driver claims he was unaware of the parcel’s contents, police are holding him to determine whether he was knowingly involved in the disposal of the body. Investigators are focusing on whether Wanjiku’s family members coordinated the delivery and if the driver played a role beyond transport.