A heartbreaking, weeks-long search for missing Kenya Forest Service (KFS) Legal Services Manager Esther Wairimu Keige has ended in tragedy after her body was discovered inside an isolated coffee plantation in Juja, Kiambu County.

The 54-year-old advocate disappeared on June 10, 2026, after leaving her office along Kiambu Road, sparking an intensive search by her family, colleagues, and security agencies that drew widespread public attention across social media.

In a sorrowful statement released on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, her family confirmed that she was found on the night of Monday, July 6.

Body in a coffee plantation

Juja Sub-County Police Commander Isaac Kombo confirmed that Wairimu’s body was recovered from a secluded, isolated section of a coffee plantation at Area 4 near Karimenu.

Though superficial report indicate the body was physically intact when recovered, decomposition had already set in, making it impossible for investigators to immediately determine the exact cause of death on-site.

The body has since been transferred to the Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital mortuary, where a comprehensive post-mortem examination will be conducted.

Detectives tracking her final weeks have uncovered critical pieces of information that suggest she may have been alive for a period after her initial disappearance:

Investigators revealed that students at a local school in the area reported seeing Wairimu alive near their institution recently.

According to their accounts, she appeared distressed and was asking for help to find food.

Homicide detectives have intensified their inquiry, recording statements from family members, colleagues, and local residents who may have interacted with the advocate in the days leading up to her disappearance and subsequent death.

Described by her family as a loving mother and a deeply dedicated legal professional, Wairimu’s sudden loss has left an immeasurable void.

The Keige family expressed their profound gratitude to the friends, colleagues, and members of the public who stood by them and aided in the tireless search over the past month.

Police have vowed a thorough investigation to piece together her exact movements and establish the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.