A Nairobi court has heard a chilling “bedside confession” from the man accused of the brutal murder of socialite Starlet Wahu.
Appearing before Judge Alexander Muteti on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, Corporal Horace Arwa revealed that the accused, John Matara, admitted to stabbing Wahu during a scuffle in a South B short-stay apartment on January 3, 2024.
Arwa, the arresting officer, tracked Matara to a city hospital where the suspect was being treated for his own injuries.
“I directly asked him why he had killed the lady… He identified the lady as one called Starlet, whom he claimed was his girlfriend,” Corporal Arwa testified.
“He said that all he can remember was that they had a scuffle… and he managed to stab the lady on the right thigh.”
The confession comes as forensic evidence appears to have backed Matara into a corner.
Government analysts testified on Tuesday that biological samples—including semen and blood found on the bedding and a knife at the scene—provided an “irrefutable” match to Matara’s genetic profile.
Wahu, the sister of famous preacher Victor Kanyari, tragically bled to death after a deep stab wound to her thigh severed a major artery.
While Matara has pleaded not guilty to murder, the prosecution argues the combination of CCTV footage and DNA evidence leaves “zero probability” of another culprit.
Late socialite Wahu Starlet. PHOTO/Instagram/@wahu_starlet_
The trial, which has captivated the nation, has also touched on a “disturbing pattern of predation.”
Investigators believe Wahu was just one of many victims lured through dating apps, with several other women coming forward to allege they were robbed and assaulted by Matara in similar short-term rentals.
As the hearing proceeds today, Wednesday, February 11, 2026, the defense is expected to cross-examine the forensic analysts in a desperate bid to challenge the “biological smoking gun” that has now defined the case.
