The Meru Magistrate’s Court has freed Sister Caroline Kanjiru, the main suspect in the murder of her colleague, Sister Ancelimina Karimi, after investigators found no evidence linking her to the crime.
Senior Principal Magistrate Susan Ndegwa ordered Kanjiru’s release after both the prosecution and the defense agreed with the findings of homicide detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters in Nairobi.
According to lead investigator Inspector Patrick Wachira, detectives analyzed digital data, reviewed phone records, and interviewed several witnesses before concluding that the suspect was not involved in the killing.
“My team has no sufficient evidence related to the matter against the suspect. We urge the file to be closed and the respondent be treated as a state witness,” Wachira told the court.
The court had earlier, on October 14, 2025, granted detectives from DCI Imenti North 14 days to conduct investigations, after which the homicide unit took over the case.
Following her release, lawyer Kiautha Arithi, representing the Diocese of Meru and the accused nun, welcomed the court’s decision but urged authorities to continue investigating until the real culprits are found.
“Sister Caroline is now free, but we call on the government to conduct thorough investigations and bring the culprits to book,” Arithi said outside the court.
“The two sisters lived together at the Nkabune Convent. Police should establish whether Sister Ancelimina was killed or died naturally so that justice is served to both families.”
The mysterious death of Sister Karimi has continued to raise questions within the Nkabune Convent community as police work to determine the circumstances surrounding her death.
