ODPP given seven days to decide fate of DCI officer in murder case
Crime and Justice
By
Lilian Chepkoech
| Apr 28, 2026
A woman carries a placard to demand justice for the murder of Florence Nyagah in Nairobi. [File Courtesy]
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) has been granted an additional seven days to complete its review and approval of charges against a senior detective attached to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters, who is accused of killing his wife.
Daniel Mburu Macharia, who remains out on a cash bail of Sh1.5 million, appeared before Makadara Law Courts Senior Principal Magistrate Jane Mbati yesterday.
He was arrested following the death of his 43-year-old wife, Florence Nyagah, whose body was discovered in a pool of blood at their home along Lumumba Drive in Roysambu on March 1, 2026.
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The investigating officer informed the court that the lead investigator, Inspector Wesley Terer, had forwarded the file to the ODPP on April 17 for review and directions on appropriate charges. However, Inspector Terer is currently unwell, prompting a request for additional time.
Mburu appeared in court alongside his advocate, Danstan Omari, who did not oppose the prosecution’s initial request for four more days but instead sought an extension of 14 days.
The application for 14 days was strongly opposed by prosecution counsel Gloria Amondi, who argued that the period was excessive and requested that it be limited to seven days. The court granted the seven-day extension.
In its ruling, the court ordered the ODPP to finalise the file by May 4, 2026. The magistrate noted the ODPP’s constitutional mandate under Article 157 of the Constitution of Kenya, which empowers the Director of Public Prosecutions to institute, take over, or discontinue criminal proceedings in the public interest.
The decision comes just a week after Mbati issued a stern warning against further delays. “This is the last adjournment. The prosecution must be ready to proceed on the next mention date,” she cautioned.
Mburu, who was attached to the DCI’s Anti-Narcotics Unit at the time of the incident, surrendered to authorities at Naivasha Police Station and was arrested by Kasarani officers.
Post-mortem examinations conducted on March 2, 2026, at Kenyatta National Hospital confirmed that Nyagah succumbed to stab wounds inflicted by a sharp object.
Inspector Terer previously told the court that Mburu was the last person seen with the deceased, who was confirmed alive on February 27, 2026.
The couple had reportedly been experiencing domestic disputes, which are suspected to have escalated into a fatal altercation.
Mburu allegedly fled the scene before surrendering to police.
The case will be mentioned again on May 4, 2026.