John Matara, the main suspect in the murder of Scarlet Wahu Mwangi on Saturday, had, on December 29, 2023, confined another woman in a room, subjected her to assault, and coerced her into raising Sh50,000 before releasing her.
The victim reported to the Makadara sub-county headquarters claiming that she fell victim to the suspect on Friday, December 29, 2023, days after meeting on a dating site.
After engaging in affectionate conversations for several days, they agreed to book a rental unit for a romantic night, with the lady reportedly requesting a payment of Sh15,000.
“He seemed so nice and even took me on an ‘Airbnb’,” she told media outlets.
“We met and he had already booked a room where one could only gain entry using a card. I liked the place thinking that it was secure and nothing ill could happen bearing in mind that he was a stranger to me,” she added.
Similar to the situation with Ms. Wahu, Matara, 34, insisted that they undergo an HIV/AIDS test before proceeding to enjoy the night together.
However, the woman reported that in the middle of the night, Matara, who was initially smiling, suddenly changed and instructed her to get out of bed. He then demanded that she strip naked.
Tied Her Legs and Hands
The victim, who requested anonymity, recounted that he proceeded to tie her legs and hands with a rope, assaulting her while demanding that she raise Sh50,000 and hand it over to him, threatening to end her life if she didn’t comply.
“In the middle of the night, he started strangling me and even asked for my MPESA statements. He was trying to strangle me so much,” she told Citizen TV on Sunday.
“He started beating me as he demanded that I make calls to friends and relatives to raise the money. He even demanded to take a look at my Mpesa transactions and took the mobile numbers of anyone who had sent me a large amount of money,” she said as quoted by Nation.
Matara then proceeded to pour cold water on the floor and instructed her to lie on it while she continued to raise the money.
“He has long fingernails and he even used it to pinch me on the neck and to date it is very difficult for me to swallow food,” the victim recounted.
Message to the listing Owner
After ensuring he had collected enough money from the victim, Mr. Matara then released her. However, on the same night, he sent a message to the owner of the rental explaining that he disagreed with his “girlfriend”.
In the message, Matara described having a disturbing night, forcing him to lock her inside the house before leaving.
“Things happened, I left the house in panic. I locked my girlfriend inside. She is not in good condition and it is quite disturbing. The key is with the watchman who is seated outside the gate, he seems to be elderly and a Maasai. I could not see the caretaker. I have left and I am far now,” part of the message read.
“It was a heated disagreement and I did some bad things. She is in the bedroom. The earlier you get there the better. The later you get there the worse. You will not hear from me for some hours. I need to recuperate. I am so sorry about it, please say no word for now. You have no idea how much we have fought all night but no property has been destroyed. Thank you for everything,” the message continued.
When the owner of the house tried to inquire why he left the woman behind, Mr. Matara did not respond. He was apprehended moments later by DCI sleuths who tracked him to the hospital.
Following the arrest after Starlet Wahu’s murder, the victim identified Matara as her assailant and reported the matter at the Industrial Area Police Station.
“It is the same guy. The number posted by DCI is the same used to transfer money to him which is John Ongoa Matara,” she said.
By Monday, January 8, two more victims had come forward, recounting similar experiences of assault with Matara.
In a statement to Nairobi Wire, an Airbnb spokesman stated, “We are deeply saddened to learn of this shocking event, but it is important to make clear that this is not connected to Airbnb in any way. The property in question did not have a reservation booked on Airbnb for the dates reported, and we do not have an account registered to the name of the accused. Our thoughts are with the victim’s loved ones during this unimaginably difficult time.”
Airbnb further clarified that their name is often used as a catch-all term to describe an entire industry, and this particular property is listed on other platforms.
The police will continue to detain the suspect at the Industrial Area Police Station for the next 18 days as investigations into his activities progress.
This article was updated with the Airbnb statement
