Wanjala was arrested on Tuesday, July 14, 2021 for kidnapping and subsequent murder of two children who went missing in Nairobi’s Buru estate.
After his arrest, Wanjala led detectives to where he had buried the bodies of 13-year-old Charles Opindo and 12-year-old Junior Mutuku. The bodies were found on Wednesday, July 14.
Wanjala who confessed to killing the two children told the police that he had killed at least 10 children in a span of a few years – adding that he had committed his first murder when he was only 15 years old.
Parents – even those who have not lost their children are in pain – and fear that there could be more people like Wanjala out there. The vivid description Wafula gave the police on how he had executed the murders has shocked the whole country.
Ksh30,000 and Ksh50,000 ransom
Wanjala reportedly killed Opindo and Mutuku after demanding Ksh30,000 and Ksh50,000 ransom.
The suspect has led the detectives to two more bodies – after the discovery of the decomposing bodies of Opindo and Mutuku.
The third body retrieved from a river in Lower Kabete hours after the two bodies were recovered in a thicket near Kabete Approved School.
According to a report by Missing Child Kenya, 242 children aged 18 and below were reported missing between January and December 2020; 125 girls and 117 boys.
“A total of 131 children were found and reunited with their families, 16 have recently been found, 10 were found dead while 18 are still missing,” the report said. From 2016 to 2020, a total of 780 children were reported missing. Of those, 496 were found, 73 were taken to government-run children’s homes, 21 were found dead and 190 are still missing.