Peter Mwangi Njenga alias Ole Sankale, the prime suspect in the murder of National Lands Commission (NLC) Deputy Director of Communications Jennifer Wambua, is unfit to stand trial.

A mental assessment conducted on the accused showed he is mentally unstable, the state prosecutor told the Machakos High Court Wednesday.

The suspect’s lawyer Doreen Mwau told Justice David Kemei that her client was scheduled to go for a second mental assessment review on June 24.

As a result, Ole Sankale did not take plea, with Justice Kemei directing that the matter be mentioned on June 22.

The judge further ordered the suspect be returned to Muthaiga Police Station in Nairobi pending tabling of the mental assessment report.

Ole Sankale was arrested early this month after forensic evidence and witnesses placed him at the scene of the crime. He was also the last person to be seen with Jennifer Wambua when she was alive on March 12.

Detectives also established that the suspect is a convicted rapist and violent robber who was sentenced to death in 2003.

“It was confirmed that the suspect was a jailbird. Our criminal data system was mined and indeed confirmed the suspect had committed similar offenses using the same modus operandi of committing robbery and thereafter repeatedly, sexually abusing the victims by raping and killing them,” DCI said.

“For instance, in 1996, he was charged with stealing and was further charged three times with the offenses of robbery with violence and rape. On January 15th, 2003, he was convicted and sentenced to death at Kibera Senior Resident’s Magistrate Court.”

It remains a mystery how Ole Sankale gained his freedom.