Scarlet Wahu murder: Suspect John Matara pleads not guilty
John Matara, the main suspect in the death of socialite Starlet Wahu, pleaded not guilty to murder charges on 2 February 2024.
Matara appeared before Milimani High Court Justice Kanyi Kimondo, virtually from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) offices in Makadara, Nairobi.
He was charged with killing Wahu on 3 January 2024 at a short-term rental apartment in South B, Nairobi, a charge he denied.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) says it intends to object to his release on bond.
Justice Kimondo gave Matara seven days to prepare his formal bail and bond application and serve it on the ODPP and Wahu’s family lawyer.
The ODPP was also ordered to file its application to oppose the bail and serve it on the defence lawyer.
The judge also ordered that a social investigation report be prepared by the Department of Probation and Aftercare Services to assist the court in determining the defendant’s suitability for bail and bond terms.
The probation department was also directed to prepare a victim impact assessment, which will also be relied upon.
Matara is represented by lawyer Samuel Ayora who wanted to lodge a complaint against the Makadara DCI officers, but Kimondo told him to wait for the appropriate time when the case would be heard.
Matara will therefore remain in custody at Nairobi Area Remand and Allocation Prison in Industrial Area until 26 February 2024 when his bail application will be heard. He will be interviewed by probation officers from the remand prison.
Ayora had last week told Makadara Principal Magistrate Monica Kivuti that Matara remained unsafe even in police custody.
She added that during his detention at the Industrial Area police station, two people tried to remove him from the police cells and take him to an unknown location, but fortunately he successfully resisted.
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