On October 1, 2026, a matriarch, Miriam Wangui Ngachu, detailed in a Kenyan court how her stepbrother and nephew allegedly paid KSh 1.5 million to hitmen to eliminate her over a 4.6-hectare family land dispute.
According to her testimony, her stepbrother, Joseph Kiarie Ngachu, along with Solomon Mwangi Maina, allegedly conspired to murder her between January 12 and January 22, 2022, and paid the hitmen KSh 1.5 million to carry out the killing.
According to court documents, Simon, her sister’s son, outsourced the hitmen, met them in Naivasha, and managed the operation using funds sent from Australia by her Australia-based stepbrother, Joseph Kiarie Ngachu.
The conflict was rooted in ancestral land succession. Miriam’s Australia-based stepbrother, Joseph Kiarie Ngachu, allegedly decided to end the legal and familial stalemate by financing a hit. He worked remotely, coordinating the plot from Australia and sending waves of cash to Kenya to bankroll the operation.
Joseph’s primary link on the ground was Simon, who is Miriam’s nephew (her sister’s son). Armed with the money sent from Australia, Simon handled the local logistics:
Simon traveled to Naivasha to scout for hire, and successfully contracted three men who claimed to be members of the outlawed Mungiki sect. The total bounty agreed upon for the hit was KSh 1.5 million. He then personally escorted them near Miriam’s home.
Once the hitmen arrived at Miriam’s compound, the situation took a bizarre, drawn-out turn. Instead of executing her immediately, the three assailants stayed inside Miriam’s house for four consecutive days.
The delay happened because the hitmen refused to complete the task until the full financial balance was wired over from Australia.
During this time, they subjected her to psychological terror, which included pouring chicken blood on her to intimidate her and mark her for death.
While holding Mirrium captive in her own home, the hitmen received fraction of their fee, specifically KSh 400,000.
Unhappy with the delayed balance and seemingly moved to mercy by the unfolding scene, the hitmen changed their minds. They told Miriam that they would spare her life, gave her KSh 10,000 out of the money they had just received, and instructed her to seek out help from the elders.
Miriam survived the ordeal and reported the matter to the police, leading to the conspiracy to commit murder charges against her stepbrother Joseph Kiarie Ngachu and another relative, Solomon Mwangi Maina.