The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has announced a major breakthrough in the murder case of Reverend Julius Ndumia Ngari, confirming that two suspects have been formally charged as investigations widen to track additional accomplices.
In an update released on Friday, the DCI said Felix Odinga Okumu and Berryly Nafua Atenyo have already been arraigned before the Nakuru Law Courts, where they pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The case is now scheduled for a pre-trial conference on June 17, 2026, paving the way for a full hearing.
Reverend Ngari, who served at PCEA Tabuga Church in Nakuru North Sub-County, was killed on the night of May 3, 2026, in an attack that shocked the local community and the wider PCEA fraternity.
According to investigators, the arrests followed “extensive forensic analyses and intelligence-led investigations” conducted by a multi-agency team comprising homicide detectives, the Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau (CRIB), the Operations Support Unit (OSU), and Nakuru-based officers.
Authorities say the case file has already been submitted to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), which approved the charges leading to the suspects’ prosecution.
However, the DCI indicated that the investigation is far from complete. Detectives are now seeking public assistance to identify a man captured in images obtained during the probe.
The agency released both the original image and a digitally enhanced version, describing the individual as a “person of interest” believed to hold crucial information that could help identify other suspects.
The statement noted that investigators are actively profiling additional individuals linked to the killing, signaling the possibility of a wider criminal network behind the attack.
“The DCI remains unwavering in its commitment to ensuring that all individuals involved in this crime are identified, apprehended, and brought to justice,” the agency said.
Members of the public with relevant information have been urged to report to the nearest police station or use anonymous reporting channels.
The killing of Reverend Ngari, who died from severe injuries and suffocation, continues to draw concern over security in religious institutions, even as authorities push to secure convictions in the case.