Detectives in Endebess, Trans Nzoia County, yesterday arrested the Prime suspect behind the brutal killing of 17-year-old Rael Cheptoek Kaboi, a Form Four student at Nai Girls Secondary School, Mike Wabwire Semera.
The murder occurred on January 30, 2026, in the Mowlem area of Kiptogot location, sending shockwaves through the community.
According to police, the alarm was raised early that morning after residents reported spotting a lifeless body lying in a nearby farm. Officers from Endebess Police Station rushed to the scene, located about 700 metres from the girl’s mother’s home, where they found Rael’s body bearing visible signs of assault.
“The scene was processed and documented before the body was removed,” a police officer involved in the investigation said.
Rael’s body was later taken to Kijana Wamalwa Referral Hospital mortuary for preservation, as arrangements for a postmortem were made to establish the exact cause of death.
Preliminary investigations indicate that Rael had left home at around 5:45 a.m. to go to school, located approximately one kilometre away. However, she never reached the institution.
Her body was discovered at around 6:30 a.m. by fellow students who were walking to school.
Detectives immediately launched investigations and began tracking the suspect using intelligence gathered from the area.
Police say Semera fled after the incident and attempted to escape to Uganda through the Suam border. Detectives trailed him to the border, where a joint operation involving Ugandan authorities led to his arrest after he crossed into the neighbouring country.
The suspect has since been escorted back to Kenya and is currently being held at Endebess Police Station, where he is undergoing processing ahead of arraignment.
Detectives say investigations are ongoing to establish the motive behind the killing.
The arrest comes amid growing concern over the safety of school-going children, particularly those who leave home early in the morning to attend classes.
