Kenyan police detain man for 30 days after dismembered women’s bodies discovered

NAIROBI, Kenya – A court in Kenya has allowed police to detain a man for 30 days on suspicion of killing and dismembering women and then dumping them in a flooded quarry. The investigation is ongoing.

Collins Jumaisi Khalusha, 33, appeared before the Makadara court on Tuesday accompanied by his lawyer and protested against a police request to keep Khalusha in custody.

Since Friday, police have been recovering the dismembered bodies of women from a quarry near the suspect’s house. They found telephones, ID cards and a machete, among other things.

As of Tuesday, ten bodies and various body parts had been recovered from the quarry. Two families have clearly identified their relatives, but are still waiting for DNA analysis.

Criminal Investigation Directorate Head Mohamed Amin said on Monday that the suspect confessed to killing 42 women, including his wife, since 2022. They did not provide any evidence to support his claim.

Police said the bodies were discovered after relatives of a missing woman claimed they had a dream in which she instructed them to search the quarry. The relatives sought help from a local diver, who discovered the bodies wrapped in sacks.

Acting Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja said officers from a nearby police station had been transferred to make room for the investigation. Locals had accused the police of negligence because the quarry was nearby and unexplained missing persons cases had been reported there.

A statement signed by human rights groups over the weekend called on Kenya’s security authorities to “accelerate investigations into all reports of enforced disappearances.” There were initial fears that the bodies could be linked to abductions and arrests of young people during recent anti-government protests.