Police in Kenya have arrested a man found carrying mutilated body parts in his backpack, which he reportedly claimed belonged to his 19-year-old wife.
The suspect, 29-year-old John Kiama Wambua, was stopped by officers patrolling the Huruma district, east of Nairobi, just before dawn.
Upon searching his backpack, officers discovered the body parts and were reportedly shocked by the gruesome find, according to Kenya's Directorate of Criminal Investigations, DCI.
After questioning, Wambua allegedly admitted the remains belonged to his wife, Joy Fridah Munani.
The DCI reported that he appeared "unperturbed" during the discovery and interrogation.
Following his arrest, Wambua led police to his home, where they found additional body parts hidden under a bed, as well as a knife and blood-soaked clothes.
The DCI described the act as "heinous" and confirmed that Wambua would face murder charges in an upcoming court hearing.
This incident adds to the alarming trend of femicides in Kenya, a country with one of the highest rates of gender-based killings in Africa.
Between August and October 2024, at least 97 women were murdered, according to the National Police Service.
Protests against femicide have grown in recent years. In December, hundreds of women marched in Nairobi to condemn the rising violence against women, only to be met with teargas from police.
Kenya has witnessed several high-profile cases of violence against women. In September 2024, Olympic runner Rebecca Cheptegei was killed by her former partner. She died days after being doused in petrol and set on fire.
Earlier in the year, a young woman named Rita Waeni was dismembered and stuffed into a plastic bag in a case that sparked widespread outrage.
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