A man accused of murdering Technical University of Kenya (TUK) lecturer Edgar Otochi Mokua was today arraigned before the High Court in Nairobi and denied the charge.
Richard Gikuhe Mbugua appeared before Justice Margaret Muingai at the Milimani High Court, where he was charged with murdering Mokua on July 7, 2026, at an unknown place and time within Nairobi County, jointly with others who are yet to be arrested.
Mbugua was arrested in an estate in Ruiru following forensic investigations that allegedly linked him to the killing. Preliminary investigations confirmed that Mokua was last seen alive on July 6, 2026, after leaving his residence at Princes Park in Lavington at about 4:20pm.
He failed to return home, prompting his family to report him missing at Muthangari Police Station after efforts to establish his whereabouts proved unsuccessful.
Five days later, Mokua’s body was discovered at the Nairobi City Mortuary. Police said the body had been taken there by officers from Kiamumbi Police Station after it was recovered near Woodcreek Academy.
The circumstances surrounding his disappearance and death prompted homicide detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to take over the probe.
According to investigators, preliminary inquiries established a sequence of events leading to the lecturer’s death. Detectives said Mokua had spent several hours on the night he disappeared at a popular club in Lavington in the company of two men and a woman. The group later moved to another entertainment establishment located within a mall in the same area.
Investigators said the three companions eventually left the club, leaving Mokua behind. He was not seen alive again. His body was subsequently discovered dumped near Woodcreek Academy, raising suspicion that he had been killed elsewhere before being transported to the location.
The investigation took a major turn after detectives relied on forensic evidence to trace a grey Toyota vehicle allegedly used in transporting Mokua’s body. The DCI said forensic intelligence identified a grey Toyota Ractis as the vehicle that allegedly dropped the lecturer’s body at the scene before speeding away.
The forensic trail subsequently led investigators to Mbugua, who was arrested during an operation in Ruiru. Police also recovered the vehicle believed to have been used in the disposal of Mokua’s body at a farm in Juja.
Mbugua will remain in police custody until September 16, 2026, when probation officers are expected to present a report to the court to guide the court in determining whether he is suitable for a bond pending his trial.
