Suspected serial killer ‘confessed’ to murder of 42 women in Kenya: Police

Police says nine bodies had been recovered so far and that autopsies are under way in Nairobi.

The prime suspect arrested over the discovery of mutilated female bodies in a Nairobi rubbish dump had confessed to killing 42 women, according to the Kenyan police.

“The suspect confessed to have lured, killed and disposed of 42 female bodies at the dumping site,” the head of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, Mohamed Amin, told reporters on Monday.

“We are dealing with a serial killer, a psychopathic serial killer who has no respect for human life,” Amin said earlier after announcing the arrest.

He also said that a second suspect, who was caught with a handset from a victim, was also arrested.

Acting Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja said the 33-year-old prime suspect had been arrested at about 3am local time (00:00 GMT) near a bar in a joint operation by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and the National Police Service.

He said a total of nine bodies had now been recovered so far and that autopsies on the victims would be carried out on Monday.

A video posted on social media also showed police presenting several pieces of evidence reportedly linked to the suspected killer.

Since Friday, mutilated and dismembered bodies – trussed in plastic bags – have been pulled from the rubbish heap in the Mukuru slums in the south of the capital, horrifying the country.

Police had said on Sunday the nine that had been recovered were all women.

Tensions ran high at the crime scene over the weekend, as furious residents were dispersed by police firing tear gas.

The discoveries have also thrown another spotlight on Kenyan police and added more pressure on President William Ruto, who is struggling to contain a crisis over widespread antigovernment protests that saw dozens of demonstrators killed.

The protests were triggered after the government raised taxes despite people struggling with the cost of living crisis.