Authorities in Nairobi, Kenya, announced on Monday the arrest of the primary suspect in the discovery of nine dismembered female bodies within a quarry.

Mohamed Amin, head of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, identified the suspect as 33-year-old Collins Jumaisi Khalusha. Khalusha, according to Amin, confessed to killing 42 individuals, including his wife, since 2022. However, no supporting evidence for this claim was provided.

Khalusha is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday.

During a search of Khalusha’s residence, situated a short distance from the quarry, police recovered multiple smartphones and identity cards.

The grim discovery of the bodies stemmed from a family member of a missing woman who claimed to have had a dream guiding them to the quarry. With the assistance of a local diver, the bodies, wrapped in sacks, were located.

Acting police inspector general Douglas Kanja revealed that officers from a nearby police station have been reassigned to facilitate an impartial investigation. This move follows accusations of negligence levelled at the police by locals due to the proximity of the quarry and the numerous missing person reports filed.

In a statement released over the weekend, human rights organizations urged Kenyan security agencies to “expedite investigations into all reports of enforced disappearances.” Initial concerns emerged regarding a possible link between the bodies and abductions and arrests of young individuals during recent anti-government protests.