The walls of Milimani High Court reverberated with gasps as government analyst Emily Okworo delivered the damning testimony that could seal John Matara’s fate.
In the hushed courtroom, she calmly explained how a discarded condom found at the death scene became the smoking gun that placed the secular artist at the center of one of Nairobi’s most chilling murders.
“The semen extracted from the used condom matched the accused’s DNA profile,” Ms Okworo, a scientist at the Government Chemist, told Justice Alexander Muteti. It was the kind of revelation that makes defense lawyers shift uncomfortably in their seats and sends accused persons slumping in the dock.
Matara, a 34-year-old musician who performs under the alias “Rebelius Monk,” now sits in the remand prison knowing that his own body fluids have betrayed him.
The once-confident artist who allegedly seduced women through dating sites like “Bed Escorts” has been reduced to a figure of scorn, his elaborate cons unraveling thread by thread in the courtroom.
The victim was no ordinary woman. Starlet Wahu Mwangi, the 24-year-old socialite and youngest sister of controversial Nairobi pastor Victor Kanyari, had over three million Instagram followers. Beautiful, educated, and recently returned from the United States, she was living her best life, selling designer clothes and shoes, posting glamorous photos from her posh car, and enjoying the nightlife that Nairobi offers to the young and restless.
But on the night of January 3, 2024, that glittering life came to a brutal end in Room Y32 of Papino Apartments in South B. What was supposed to be a date with a wealthy man turned into a bloodbath that shocked even hardened detectives.
The Night Of Horror
Security guard Joseph Ndung’u, who works at an apartment opposite the crime scene, gave chilling testimony about what he witnessed. He saw Matara leaving the building in blood-stained khaki trousers, a white towel draped around his neck like a scarf, and a black cap pulled low over his face. It was the look of a man fleeing a nightmare of his own making.
Inside the apartment, investigators found a scene straight from a horror movie. Blood splattered on the walls. A kitchen knife stained crimson. A white towel soaked through with the life force of a young woman who had so much to live for. And there, on the floor, lay Wahu’s lifeless body.
The forensic evidence Ms Okworo presented painted a picture of a violent struggle. Blood samples from the apartment matched those taken from Wahu’s body during the autopsy. The DNA on the blood-stained knife belonged to the deceased. The towel, the same one Matara was seen wearing around his neck as he fled, bore Wahu’s blood.
But it was the condom that proved to be Matara’s undoing. In his haste to escape, he had left behind the most incriminating evidence possible. His DNA, preserved in that rubber sheath, became the prosecutor’s best friend.
Defense Grasps At Straws
During cross-examination, defense lawyers Samuel Ayora and James Mochere tried to poke holes in the forensic evidence. They seized on the fact that Ms Okworo had detected traces of blood matching Matara’s profile on some specimens, suggesting their client may have been injured during the incident.
“This could indicate that Matara was also a victim,” the defense argued, trying to paint a picture of mutual combat rather than cold-blooded murder. But the argument rang hollow when weighed against the mountain of evidence stacked against their client.
The lawyers also raised questions about blood belonging to an unidentified third person. Ms Okworo calmly explained that investigators indicated the sample had been collected near the main gate, not inside the room where Wahu was found. The defense’s attempt to introduce reasonable doubt was deflected with scientific precision.
The Lure And The Trap
According to investigating officer Sergeant Alex Chokera’s earlier testimony, Matara had met Wahu on the dating site “Bed Escorts” on January 1, 2024. They chatted online for two days before agreeing to meet in person at the short-stay apartment.
CCTV footage, which has been played repeatedly on television and social media, shows Wahu dressed in a short red dress walking alongside Matara as they entered the apartment building. She looked happy, excited even, her long wig cascading down her shoulders. She had no idea she was walking to her death.
Pastor Kanyari later revealed the horrifying details of what transpired that night. At around 2am, Wahu called him desperately seeking help, but he didn’t pick up. By 3am, Matara had allegedly begun demanding money. He wanted Sh500,000, asking Wahu to call her family members or withdraw money from the bank.
Wahu, described by her brother as “tough-headed,” refused. What happened next was a savage attack that left the young socialite bleeding from multiple stab wounds. The knife found three times its mark on her neck and thighs, severing a vital vein. Matara then fled, locking the padlock from outside, ensuring Wahu couldn’t escape or call for help.
A Pattern Of Predation
As the investigation deepened, a disturbing pattern emerged. Matara, it turned out, was no first-time offender. Several police stations across Nairobi have recorded complaints from different women who claim he lured them to short-term accommodation apartments and committed criminal acts before fleeing.
One woman came forward to say Matara had strangled and robbed her in an Airbnb. Another alleged he burned her with an iron box. The stories painted a picture of a serial predator who used dating sites and social media to hunt his victims, presenting himself as a wealthy man before revealing his true, violent nature.
The prosecution has made it clear they view Matara as a flight risk. His tenancy at his apartment in Kasarani had been terminated before his arrest, meaning he has no known fixed place of abode. The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions has vigorously opposed any application for bail, citing concerns that Matara could interfere with witnesses or flee the country.
The Family’s Pain
The tragedy has devastated the Kanyari family. Pastor Kanyari, known for his controversial miracle services and seed-offering sermons, found himself thrust into a nightmare no amount of faith could have prepared him for. He revealed that the family decided to bury Wahu quickly, just three days after her death, to avoid further media scrutiny and public judgment.
Only 20 people attended the burial at Kamulu. The family’s grief was compounded by the harsh comments on social media, with keyboard warriors attacking Wahu’s lifestyle and questioning why she was meeting a man at an Airbnb.
Kanyari defended his sister passionately. “There is nothing wrong with her drinking because she was not a born-again Christian,” he told his congregation. “It is me who is born again, not her. My sister was a socialite, and on Instagram, she boasted over three million followers. You know these days, girls love money. The man lured her by pretending to be very rich.”
Their mother, Prophetess Lucy Nduta, has been particularly affected. Kanyari recounted a heartbreaking conversation with her. “Our mum was affected the most,” he said. She had hoped to spend her old age with Wahu, but those dreams were cut short by a violent act that no parent should ever have to endure.
The Trial Continues
The hearing at Milimani High Court continues this week, with more witnesses expected to testify. The prosecution has produced several items recovered from Papino Apartments, including the blood-stained knife, the towel, a pair of women’s shoes, and a bra. Each piece of evidence adds another nail to the coffin of Matara’s defense.
A police officer who visited the scene described it as “horrifying,” telling the court that the deceased appeared to have been brutally attacked. The officer’s testimony, combined with the forensic evidence, the eyewitness accounts, and the damning DNA match from the condom, has built a prosecution case that looks increasingly unassailable.
Matara maintains his innocence, having pleaded not guilty when he was charged on February 2, 2024. But as the trial progresses, the evidence continues to mount against him. The used condom, carelessly left behind in his rush to flee, may prove to be the piece of evidence that sends him to prison for life.
In the courtroom, Pastor Kanyari has been seen sitting quietly, visibly moved as the proceedings unfold. His face betrays the anguish of a brother who couldn’t save his sister, who didn’t pick up the phone when she called for help in her darkest hour.
For Starlet Wahu, justice may finally be within reach. But it’s a justice that comes too late, a verdict that won’t bring back a vibrant young woman who had her whole life ahead of her. As the legal process grinds on, her family can only hope that the man accused of taking her life will face the full force of the law.
The used condom has spoken. Now, the court must decide if its testimony is enough to convict a man who allegedly lured a beautiful young woman to her death.
Femicide Crisis In Kenya
Wahu’s murder is part of a disturbing trend of violence against women in Kenya. The case has reignited conversations about femicide, victim blaming, and the dangers women face when meeting people from online platforms. Women’s rights activists have called for better protection measures and stricter enforcement of laws against gender-based violence.
The trial continues, with Justice Muteti presiding over a case that has gripped the nation and raised uncomfortable questions about safety, online dating, and the predators who lurk behind attractive profiles.
