According to investigators, the main suspect, identified as Steven Colman Okoth, allegedly planned the attack after discovering WhatsApp messages on the victim’s phone suggesting she intended to marry another man.
Detectives say the suspect visited Apondi at her home in the Riat area of Kisumu, where he reportedly gained access to her mobile phone.
While checking the device, police believe he came across conversations that triggered anger and jealousy, eventually leading to the deadly plot.
Authorities claim Okoth briefly left the area after reading the messages before allegedly contacting two unidentified men and arranging for them to attack the student.
Investigators further revealed that the suspects were allegedly promised Sh500 in exchange for participating in the crime.
Police say the suspect later returned and convinced the victim to accompany him to a cyber café, claiming he wanted to help her apply for an industrial attachment opportunity.
Police say the suspect later returned and convinced the victim to accompany him to a cyber café, claiming he wanted to help her apply for an industrial attachment opportunity.
Unaware of the alleged plan against her, Apondi reportedly agreed and left home at around 3 p.m.
According to detectives, the victim was ambushed along the way by the two men before being dragged into a nearby thicket where she was allegedly murdered.
According to detectives, the victim was ambushed along the way by the two men before being dragged into a nearby thicket where she was allegedly murdered.
The incident shocked residents and sparked outrage across Kisumu after details of the brutal killing emerged.
Witnesses later claimed they saw Okoth back at the victim’s residence at around 4 p.m. Police allege that he then used Apondi’s phone to send messages to her sister and boyfriend in an attempt to mislead investigators before disappearing.
The breakthrough in the case reportedly came after detectives traced the victim’s phone to Milimani Estate, where the suspect is said to have worked.
Witnesses later claimed they saw Okoth back at the victim’s residence at around 4 p.m. Police allege that he then used Apondi’s phone to send messages to her sister and boyfriend in an attempt to mislead investigators before disappearing.
The breakthrough in the case reportedly came after detectives traced the victim’s phone to Milimani Estate, where the suspect is said to have worked.
Although he initially denied involvement, investigators later recovered the phone from a septic tank within the premises.
Police claim the suspect eventually confessed and led detectives to the area where the body had been dumped nearly six days earlier.
Police claim the suspect eventually confessed and led detectives to the area where the body had been dumped nearly six days earlier.
The remains were discovered in a decomposed state and had reportedly been partially damaged by wild animals.
The body was later moved to the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital mortuary for postmortem examination.
The body was later moved to the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital mortuary for postmortem examination.
However, a government pathologist stated that the advanced decomposition made it difficult to establish the exact cause of death.
Investigations into the murder are still ongoing as detectives continue searching for the two unidentified men believed to have participated in the killing.
Investigations into the murder are still ongoing as detectives continue searching for the two unidentified men believed to have participated in the killing.
Authorities have assured the public that all individuals linked to the crime will be tracked down and prosecuted.
