The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has launched an extensive probe into the death of Kenya Forest Service (KFS) Legal Services Manager Esther Wairimu Keige, whose body was discovered in a coffee plantation in Juja, Kiambu County, weeks after she was reported missing.
According to a press statement released on Thursday, July 9, detectives are pursuing multiple leads to establish the circumstances surrounding her death, with homicide not ruled out.
Ms Keige was reported missing on June 10, 2026, after being dropped off by her driver at a Shell petrol station near the Senate Hotel in Juja.
She had reportedly intended to inquire about gym services but never returned, prompting concern from her family and colleagues.
Following her disappearance, DCI officers initiated a wide-ranging investigation involving forensic analysis, CCTV reviews, mobile phone data tracking, and witness interviews.
Search operations were conducted across several locations, including Gatundu, Mang’u, Kenyatta Road, and surrounding areas, as authorities attempted to trace her movements.
The breakthrough came on July 6, when a decomposed body of an unidentified woman was discovered in a makeshift shelter within the undeveloped Fusion Estate Farm in Kiora area, approximately seven kilometres from Juja Police Station.
Crime Scene Investigations (CSI) officers processed the scene before transferring the body to Kenyatta University Teaching and Referral Hospital mortuary.
The body was later positively identified by Ms Keige’s sister. Investigators recovered her mobile phone at the scene, switched off, while her shoes had been removed and placed beside the body—details that have raised further questions.
A post-mortem examination revealed no visible external injuries, but pathologists were unable to determine the cause of death due to the advanced state of decomposition.
Samples have since been submitted for toxicological and forensic analysis to establish whether foul play was involved.
The DCI also disclosed that Ms Keige had been battling depression and was undergoing treatment. Investigations further indicated that she had previously gone missing on three separate occasions before returning home safely.
Despite these revelations, detectives maintain that all possibilities remain under consideration. Authorities are appealing to the public for information regarding her movements between June 10 and the time her body was found.
The agency reiterated its commitment to a thorough, impartial investigation, assuring the public that anyone found culpable will be brought to justice.