Slain Indian businessman Jayesh Kumar’s wife Velji Jayaben Jayeshikumar will remain in police custody for 14 days after she was arrested and arraigned at the Kibera Law Courts.
Jayaben was arrested on Wednesday after investigations revealed that she was in communication with one of the other four suspects in police custody, on the day her husband was killed and his body doused in acid.
It is believed that the couple had domestic problems before Jayaben sought the services of a friend to discipline the husband.
Jayaben appeared before Magistrate Irene Kahuya after a probe revealed that she could have taken part in the murder plot against her husband who was killed and body doused in acid in Lukenya, Machakos County, on Valentine’s Day.
She was however not charged after the prosecution requested 21 days to detain her as detectives continued with investigations.
Jayaben, through her lawyer Ifran Kassam, opposed the application with Kassam requesting the court to grant the prosecution only seven days to hold her, arguing that she is not a flight risk as police have her passport and that she lives with her son and mother-in-law who depend on her.
The court granted the prosecution 14 days to hold her in police custody.
“Jayaben is alleged to have been involved in the murder plot after phone analysis revealed that she was in contact with one of the four suspects who were arrested and arraigned at Kibera Law Courts on February 19th,” said Magistrate Kahuya.
“She is reported to have asked the suspect to help discipline and torture her husband as the two had disagreements … The other suspect agreed and recruited others to execute the plan.”
It is believed that Jayaben, who was captured on CCTV camera on Valentine’s Day walking in the company of her husband and son at around 7am, made a call to the alleged killers to execute the mission.
The other suspect is reported to have sent her a text three hours later informing her that they had finished the job.
She was however disturbed that the husband had been killed yet the plan was just to beat and warn him.
Police are yet to conduct DNA tests on the bones that were recovered from the scene of crime believed to be those of Kumar.
They also want to confirm the immigration status of two suspects who are Indian nationals and also ensure that all five suspects undergo mental examination before facing charges.
