Dan Njeru, the brother of Nicholas Warunge's wife, Anne Wanjiku Njoroge, said the family hopes the Kiambu murders killer is convicted "as quickly as he committed the crimes and consigned to his rightful place in jail".

Lawrence Warunge, 23, was produced in a Kiambu court on Monday for a hearing of an application by the prosecutors to have him and his girlfriend detained for another 14 days.

The court allowed the application to enable the detectives to carry out a conclusive investigation, including DNA testing and matching as well as mental assessment of the suspect.

When the prosecution read the charges that it would press against Lawrence when he formally takes plea, the emotionless and calm young man responded: "no objection."

"That alone should have him placed at the centre of the crime," he added.

The fact that the suspect has voluntarily confessed to the crimes does not help his case, he added.

The four family members will be buried on Saturday at their home where they were killed in Karura village in Kiambaa.

-The Star/ Gordon Osen