Fresh details have emerged regarding the death of Kenya Forest Service (KFS) Legal Services Manager Esther Wairimu Keige, with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) confirming that investigations are still ongoing and that homicide has not been ruled out.
In a statement released on Thursday, the DCI said Keige’s body was found in a coffee plantation in Juja, Kiambu County, after weeks of investigations and search operations that followed her disappearance on June 10, 2026.
Investigators said Keige was last seen after her driver dropped her at the Shell petrol station in Juja, near Senate Hotel. She had reportedly planned to make inquiries about gym services in the area.
According to the DCI, “The driver remained behind but the deceased did not return.”
Following the report of her disappearance, detectives launched a wide-ranging investigation involving several teams and partner security agencies.
The inquiry included the review of CCTV footage, forensic examinations, intelligence gathering, witness interviews, analysis of mobile phone data, and extensive searches across multiple locations.
Search teams combed areas including Kenyatta Road, Gatundu, Darugo, Mang’u, the Murram area, Stage 4 and nearby locations.
Detectives also visited hospitals and mortuaries within the region while trying to establish whether she had been admitted or identified elsewhere.
During the investigations, detectives discovered that Keige had been battling depression and was receiving treatment.
The agency further stated that she had previously disappeared from home on three occasions before later returning safely.
The case took a significant turn on July 6 at around 5pm when a decomposed body of an unidentified woman was discovered inside a makeshift shelter in a bushy section of the undeveloped Fusion Estate Farm in the Kiaora area of Juja.
The location is about seven kilometres west of Juja Police Station.
Crime Scene Investigations officers processed the scene before the body was moved to the Kenyatta University Teaching and Referral Hospital Funeral Home. Keige’s sister later positively identified the body.
Detectives also recovered her mobile phone at the scene.
“At the scene, the deceased’s mobile phone was recovered intact but switched off. Her shoes had been removed and placed beside the body,” the statement said.
Although a post-mortem examination was conducted, pathologists were unable to establish the exact cause of death because the body was in an advanced state of decomposition.
“While the examination revealed no external physical injuries suggestive of assault, the pathologists were unable to conclusively determine the cause of death due to the advanced state of decomposition,” the DCI said.
The agency noted that samples have been collected for toxicological and other forensic tests to help determine both the cause and manner of death.
“The DCI wishes to clarify that investigations remain active and that homicide has not been ruled out. Detectives are pursuing all plausible lines of inquiry and are awaiting the outcome of the toxicology and other forensic examinations, which are expected to provide critical leads in the investigation,” the statement added.
The DCI has appealed to anyone with information about Keige’s movements between June 10 and the day her body was found to contact investigators or report to the nearest police station.
The agency assured the public that any information shared will be handled confidentially.
“The Directorate remains committed to conducting a thorough, impartial, and evidence-led investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding Ms. Keige’s death and ensure that any person found culpable is brought to justice,” the statement concluded.
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