26/07/2026
A SUSPECT in the killing of community health nurse Sophie Lesintiyio has been arrested by detectives in Maralal, ending a two-day manhunt.
Francis Ekale Ekaitan, also known as "Nunu", was arrested by officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) this evening as he was attempting to leave Maralal town, according to DCI.
Ekaitan, a Maralal-based mechanic from the Loikas area, is the prime suspect in the death of the nurse, whose body was found at her house within the Naimaral Dispensary compound in Samburu North yesterday morning.
Police said the suspect fled after the incident but was tracked down and arrested following an intensive manhunt by detectives.
The arrest marks a significant breakthrough in the case, which has sparked outrage and grief across the local community.