Naivasha High Court Suspends Arrest Warrants Against US-Based Couple in Murder Conspiracy Case
The High Court in Naivasha has temporarily suspended warrants of arrest issued against a United States-based couple accused of conspiring to murder five members of their family, including the man’s mother.
Justice Cecilia Githua granted temporary relief to Amos Wanjiru and his wife, Alice Muya, weeks after a magistrate’s court ordered their arrest and cleared the way for the prosecution to begin extradition proceedings.
The couple is jointly charged alongside Alice Muya’s 73-year-old father, Francis Muya, over five counts of conspiracy to murder close family members.
Francis Muya has already been charged with allegedly conspiring between March 1 and May 2, 2024, with others not before the court to hire assassins for more than KSh3 million to kill his estranged wife, Rose Njeri Muya.
He also faces four additional counts of conspiracy to murder Antony Mwaura, Martin Muya, Alex Muya and Oprah Muya, who are his three sons and daughter.
Defence Challenges Arrest Warrants
Defence lawyer Edwin Njagi moved to the High Court under a certificate of urgency, seeking to suspend the warrants of arrest issued against the couple.
Njagi argued that his clients had been accused of ignoring court summons despite never having been formally served.
Appearing virtually, the lawyer maintained that the magistrate’s court erred by issuing warrants before the couple had received official summons requiring them to appear in court.
He also argued that the lower court improperly allowed the prosecution to commence extradition proceedings without first giving his clients an opportunity to respond.
Victims Seek to Join Appeal
During the proceedings, lawyer Mbugua Macharia, representing the alleged victims, applied to be enjoined in the appeal.
Macharia informed the High Court that a related matter is still pending before the magistrate’s court.
In her ruling, Justice Githua directed the victims to file their application within seven days and ordered that the suspension of the arrest warrants remain in effect for 21 days.
Prosecution Alleges Murder-for-Hire Plot
According to the prosecution, Francis Muya, allegedly assisted by his daughter and son-in-law, hired assassins to eliminate members of the family following a dispute over ownership of a prime property in Molo Town.
Court documents allege that the conspiracy began on March 1, 2024, when Francis Muya and his daughter allegedly met two suspected hitmen at a hotel in Nakuru.
Prosecutors claim the parties agreed on a payment of KSh3.1 million for the killings.
The prosecution further alleges that part of the money was mobilised before Alice Muya returned to the United States.
Case Returns to Court on July 29
The High Court’s decision does not determine the guilt or innocence of any of the accused. Instead, it temporarily suspends the arrest warrants while the legal challenge proceeds.
The matter is scheduled for further hearing on July 29, 2026, when the court is expected to issue further directions on the appeal and related applications.
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