Starlet Wahu murder: Court told accused’s phone was formatted, losing all its data
By Zipporah Ngwatu, April 21, 2026A Nairobi High Court has been told that the data of the accused person’s phone in the murder of socialite Starlet Wahu, John Matara, was formatted, losing all its data.
The court heard that the investigating team was to extract messages, images, videos and WhatsApp chats from November 2023 to January 3, 2024, from Matara’s phone to the victim’s phone.
However, Inspector Alex Chokera told the court that by the time Matara’s phone was submitted for forensic examination, it had no data.
Appearing before Justice Alexander Muteti on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, Chokera told the court that a report by digital forensic examiners reveals there was no data available in Matara’s phone.
“My Lord, exhibit B, the accused person’s phone was formatted before the time of extraction; hence, no desired data could be retrieved,” Officer Chokera told the court.
Notably, Inspector Chokera informed the court that by the time he took over the accused person’s phone, he was not aware that it was formatted.
Matara’s demands
Matara’s lawyer asked the officer to tell the court what time he formatted the phone since he had its pin.
In his response, Inspector Chokera insisted that he was not the one who formatted the gadget.
Matara’s lawyer told the court that his phone had images and messages that he wanted to use in his case, but now he cannot access them.
“My lord, my client tells me there were images and messages which he actually intends to rely on in this matter, but he can’t now access them,” Matara’s lawyer told the court.
He further urged the officer to tell the court whether he had interfered with the phone.
“My lord, I did not interfere with the phones,” Officer Chokera replied.
Further, he stated that he took possession of the phone from the arresting officer who had taken the phone from the accused at the Mbagathi Hospital.
“As you took over the phone, were you aware that it was formatted?” Matara’s lawyer asked the officer.
“My lord, no, I was not aware that the phone had been tampered with,” Chokera told the court.
In addition, the officer said by the time he took possession of the phone, it only had a PIN.
The officer also told the court that he cannot tell who formatted the phone because he forwarded it as he had received it.