A family in Pipeline Estate, Nairobi, is struggling to come to terms with a nightmare they never imagined possible — the brutal killing of their daughter by a man who once swore to uphold the law.
Detectives on Saturday arrested 44-year-old Cyprian Mukoye, a former police officer accused of hacking his 27-year-old wife to death with an axe before raping their househelp, in a savage attack that unfolded before the couple’s one-year-old child.
The chilling incident occurred on the night of August 13, 2025, inside the couple’s rented home in Kware, Pipeline, leaving a young child orphaned and an entire community shaken.
Relatives of the deceased, Susan Nabwire, say they are shattered beyond repair. “We may never recover from this pain,” said her mother, Philice Makokha, her voice trembling. “She died at the hands of someone meant to protect her.”
Investigators believe a simmering domestic feud over infidelity and money triggered the bloodbath. On that night, Cyprian allegedly came home seething with anger, accusing Susan of having an affair. He demanded her phone, passwords, and M-Pesa PIN.
“They started arguing and he slapped Susan, threatening to kill her if she didn’t give him the PIN,” recalled Philice. “Later he went to the bedroom, removed his clothes, took pictures, and demanded Susan undress to join him in the photos.”
At around 3 a.m., the confrontation spiraled into unspeakable violence. According to the househelp’s testimony, Cyprian fetched an axe from the bathroom and swung it at his wife’s neck, leaving a deep, fatal gash.
“Walipigana usiku na Susan, baadaye aliingia bafuni na kuleta shoka,” said Philice. “Alimkata shingo, akamnyonga na kamba, kisha akamchoma na kisu karibu na macho, akisema atamuua akiona.”
The former officer then dragged Susan’s limp body under the bed, before turning on the househelp in a vile act of sexual violence. “He told her he wanted to sleep with her and threatened to kill her if she refused,” said Philice. After the rape, he locked the househelp and the toddler inside with the corpse and vanished into the night, taking their phones.
When police arrived after frantic calls from neighbors, they were forced to break down the door. Inside lay a scene described by officers as “the darkest kind of brutality”: a blood-soaked floor, Susan’s mutilated body hidden under the bed, a traumatized child, and a househelp in shock.
The body was taken to Mama Lucy Hospital Mortuary, where it awaits postmortem.
Cyprian, once a sworn protector of life, had been living as a casual laborer in Pipeline after leaving the force under unclear circumstances. Detectives suspect he may have been struggling financially, possibly fueling his violent outburst.
Police finally tracked him down days later in a dramatic manhunt and confirmed his arrest. He is now detained at Embakasi Police Station, facing charges of murder, rape, and child endangerment.
For Susan’s family, justice cannot erase the scars. “Her child will grow up without a mother,” said Philice. “This will haunt us forever.”
As the suspect awaits court, rights activists are calling this case a grim reflection of Kenya’s worsening femicide crisis and the failure to detect violent behavior among law enforcers even after they leave the force.
“A badge does not make a man less dangerous at home,” warns gender activist Grace Omondi. “This was a trained officer who turned his skills inward — and the system never saw it coming.”
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