DNA evidence has emerged as a key pillar in the ongoing murder trial of John Matara Ong’oa, who is accused of killing socialite Starlet Wahu Mwangi in January 2024.
The Milimani High Court in Nairobi heard fresh forensic testimony this week detailing how biological samples collected from the crime scene allegedly link Matara directly to the apartment where Wahu was found dead.
Wahu, 24, was discovered inside a short-stay apartment in South B on January 3, 2024. According to court proceedings, she had checked into the residence the previous night in the company of a man later identified as Matara.
Her death, caused by multiple stab wounds, sparked national outrage and intense public interest.
Now, more than two years later, prosecutors say scientific findings strengthen the case against the accused.
A government chemist told the court that blood samples collected from a knife recovered at the scene matched the DNA profile of Wahu. The prosecution believes the knife was the murder weapon.
In addition, forensic analysis reportedly identified another DNA profile on the same knife that matched Matara.
The court also heard that a towel recovered from the apartment contained a mixture of DNA profiles consistent with both the deceased and the accused. According to the prosecution, this suggests direct physical contact between Matara, the victim, and items inside the room during the incident.
Other biological samples taken from bedding and surfaces within the apartment were analysed. Some of these samples, the expert testified, also generated DNA results linked to Matara.
Prosecutors argue that the combination of bloodstains, biological traces and laboratory analysis places the accused at the centre of the fatal encounter.
Matara has pleaded not guilty to the murder charge.
His defence team questioned the handling and preservation of the exhibits, raising concerns about possible contamination or errors during the collection and storage process.
During cross-examination, defence lawyers pressed the government analyst on laboratory procedures, chain of custody records and the statistical certainty of the DNA matches.
The defence also pointed out that some samples reportedly contained unidentified DNA profiles, arguing that the presence of unknown genetic material raises questions about what exactly happened inside the apartment.
However, the forensic expert maintained that internationally accepted scientific standards were followed and that the DNA results linking Matara to the items recovered were reliable.
The DNA evidence is not the only material before the court.
Earlier in the trial, security guards testified that they saw a man leaving the apartment building on the night of the incident wearing blood-stained clothing.
CCTV footage was also presented, placing Wahu and Matara at the location on the evening before her body was discovered.
Investigators believe the forensic findings support these witness accounts, creating what the prosecution describes as a consistent chain of evidence.
Matara was arrested shortly after the incident while receiving treatment at a Nairobi hospital. Since then, he has remained in custody as the case proceeds through the High Court.
Through his lawyers, he has acknowledged meeting Wahu on the day she died but denies being responsible for her death.
The prosecution is expected to call additional witnesses before closing its case. The defence has indicated it may present its own expert testimony to challenge the DNA analysis and other forensic conclusions.
