Hannah Waithera: Businesswoman Found Dead Days After Vanishing With Ksh250,000
The tragic story of 23-year-old Hannah Waithera has left residents of Nakuru and the nation in shock and mourning. Waithera, a businesswoman who operated a shop along Kenyatta Avenue in Nakuru City, went missing on May 21, 2025, while heading to deposit over Ksh250,000. Her body was discovered a week later, dumped in a dam in Soilo, Nakuru.
According to her mother, Mary Njeri, the family received a tip-off after nearby residents complained of a foul smell emanating from the area. When they arrived, they found her body submerged in filthy water and covered with hay. “She was found in a dam full of dirty water in Soilo, and then they covered her body with hay. What will I tell her child?” cried Njeri, overwhelmed with grief.
Waithera left her shop at around 1 p.m. on the day of her disappearance, intending to deposit a large amount of cash at a bank in the city centre. That was the last time she was seen alive. Her husband, Zacharia Wanjohi, reported her missing to the police by 4 p.m. and requested help in tracking her phone. Location data revealed that her phone was moving toward Nairobi from Kijabe before it was switched off at 6 p.m.
The family grew frustrated as the police response lagged. Waithera’s younger sister and mother publicly criticized the authorities for not taking the case seriously. Tensions escalated further when individuals posing as detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) stormed the family’s home.
Wanjohi described the terrifying ordeal, stating that these individuals assaulted him and other family members in front of Waithera’s three-year-old daughter. They allegedly stole Ksh49,350, accusing the family of hiding Waithera and claiming the money was part of the stolen Ksh250,000. “They assaulted us and called us thieves; they claimed that we knew where Waithera was. One of the officers drew his gun and pointed it at me,” said Wanjohi, tearfully recounting the incident.
He added that they accused the family of using stolen money to buy household items, including a refrigerator, even though he had receipts proving otherwise. Wanjohi, who operates a car hire business, maintains that the stolen funds were part of his legitimate earnings.
The body of Hannah Waithera is currently at the Nakuru City Morgue awaiting a post-mortem as investigations continue. The incident has sparked widespread concern over police conduct and the safety of civilians handling large sums of money. Meanwhile, her family is left grappling with grief, unanswered questions, and the trauma of a violent loss.
As justice is demanded for Waithera, many in Nakuru and across Kenya are watching closely, hoping for accountability and closure in what has become a deeply troubling case.
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Hannah Waithera: Businesswoman Found Dead Days After Vanishing With Ksh250,000