On Monday morning, November 25, the National Police Service (NPS) confirmed that Njeru had turned himself in at Nakuru Police Station two days after the NPS pleaded with Kenyans to help find him.
Merely hours after Jesus Compassion Ministry Church pastor Elias Mutugi Njeru surrendered himself to the police after being linked to another case of femicide, CCTV footage surfaced showing the violent altercation between him and his estranged wife, Florence Wanjiku Gichohi, a Nakuru businesslady.
On Monday morning, November 25, the National Police Service (NPS) confirmed that Njeru had turned himself in at Nakuru Police Station two days after the NPS pleaded with Kenyans to help find him.
“Today 25/11/2024 one Elias Mutugi Njeru male adult and a suspect in the attempted murder case of Florence Wanjiku Gichohi reported at Menengai Police Station, surrendered at Nakuru Police Station in the company of his lawyer Gakuhi Chege and Associates Advocates,” announced NPS in a statement.
“He has been re-arrested by Police and placed in custody while appearing fit, pending collection by Menengai Police Station.”
Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja addressing the media on July 23, 2024. /NATIONAL POLICE SERVICE
His arrest brought to an end a mixture of uncertainty and outrage after reports emerged that Njeru had stabbed Wanjiku at their home in Rongai, Nakuru.
The CCTV footage that went viral on social media began at a local entertainment spot, where the pair were captured engaging in a discussion. Wanjiku would later leave the club in her company car, a Toyota Succeed, and drive home where she was captured conversing with and hugging a security guard before she drove off.
Njeru would later arrive in a white Toyota Prado, park the car outside the residence and converse with the security guard. In the footage dated November 21, the Succeed which Wanjiku was driving returned and parked beside Njeru’s Prado.
It was at this point that things turned south quickly. Wanjiku was captured reversing her car to the point of facing the Prado before ramming into the sleek vehicle’s rear chassis, something which rattled Njeru to the point of stepping out of the car and charging towards Wanjiku in an attempt to stop her.
The two had a brief physical altercation before the driver of the Succeed attempted to reverse the car with the driver’s door open and Njeru beside it.
The suspect, Njeru, can then be seen jogging towards the car where he has a brief engagement with the driver before walking back to his car and driving away. The footage ends with the Succeed driver still in the car, which was badly damaged on the front side as a result of hitting Njeru’s car.
While narrating the incident, the victim, Wanjiku, detailed the circumstances leading up to the assault. According to her, a conversation about their business and personal issues ultimately led to the brutal attack. She further claimed she had made attempts to end their turbulent relationship, but the pastor was not keen on a separation.
As documented by NPS in its report on Saturday, November 23, a report was filed on Friday, November 22 of attempted murder against Wanjiku at Kiamunyi Police Post in Nakuru after she was found with several stab wounds and severed hands. Wanjiku would reveal to the media that Njeru stabbed her 18 times.
Whereas Viral Tea cannot yet confirm if the attack took place on the night before the police report was filed, this could offer a twist with regards to the sequence of events leading to the violent attack and possibly contradict her story.
Still, the incident has garnered nationwide attention, with figures including Kirinyaga governor Anne Waiguru condemning Njeru’s acts amid growing concern over the rising cases of femicide in the country.
