Kenyan Police has revealed that the arrested prime suspect in the discovery of mutilated bodies in a refuse dump in the the capital city of Nairobi has confessed to killing 42 women.

Speaking on Monday, the head of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, Mohamed Amin told reporters that “the suspect confessed to have lured, killed and disposed of 42 female bodies at the dumping site.

“We are dealing with a serial killer, a psychopathic serial killer who has no respect for human life.”

Amin also said the police arrested a second suspect caught with a handset belonging to one of the victim.

Acting Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja said the 33-year-old prime suspect was arrested at about 3am local time (00:00 GMT) near a bar in a joint operation by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and the National Police Service.

He said a total of nine bodies had so far been recovered and that autopsies on the victims would be carried out on Monday.

A video posted on social media also showed police presenting several pieces of evidence reportedly linked to the suspected killer.

Since Friday, mutilated and dismembered bodies – trussed in plastic bags – have been pulled from the rubbish heap in the Mukuru slums in the south of the capital.Police had said on Sunday the nine bodies recovered were all women.

Tension ran high at the crime scene over the weekend, as furious residents were dispersed by police firing tear gas.

According to Aljazeera, the discoveries have also thrown another spotlight on Kenyan police and added more pressure on President William Ruto, who is struggling to contain a crisis over widespread antigovernment protests that saw dozens of demonstrators killed.

The protests were triggered after the government raised taxes despite people struggling with the cost of living crisis.