Police in Kenya have arrested the husband of Australian teacher Gabrielle Maina in connection with her murder.
Photo: 123RF
Ms Maina's estranged husband, Cyrus Bernard Maina Njuguna, and another man, John Njuguna Waithira have been arrested in connection with her death.
Ms Maina was shot dead while walking home last Thursday. The killing shocked the small community of Karen, where she lived.
Yesterday, police seized Mr Maina's mobile phones to examine incoming and outgoing calls and messages. The phones are being analysed by technicians from telecommunications company Safaricom and investigators from Kenya's National Intelligence Service.
A post-mortem examination was conducted on Ms Maina's body yesterday, and found she died from a single gunshot wound to the neck. The bullet travelled down her body and exited through her back.
"She was afraid": #GabrielleMaina lawyer says restraining order against husband granted after threatshttps://t.co/KUbdPWJ06C@sallyjsara pic.twitter.com/HCctSXIJkk
— Lily Mayers (@lilymayers) October 22, 2017
Police are investigating whether she may have been forced to kneel before she was shot. The autopsy was carried out by Kenya's Chief Pathologist, Dr Johansen Oduor.
Ms Maina's lawyer George King'ori said his client received threats from her husband and feared for her safety. She was granted a restraining order against him in April this year.
The couple married in 2001 and has two sons, who are Australian citizens.
Mr King'ori is urging Ms Maina's family and the Australian Government to pursue justice in her shooting.
Ms Maina moved to Kenya in 2015, and was the head teacher at Hillcrest Preparatory School in Karen. She had previously worked as a teacher in New South Wales and attended university at the University of New England in Armidale.
Ms Maina was an active member of the tight-knit community in the Nairobi suburb of Karen. Last Saturday, members of the local Karen Vineyard Church said prayers and expressed shock and sorrow over her death.
Investigations are continuing.
- ABC
