Nyamira pastor and police officer arrested for assaulting widow

The Nyamira woman who was assaulted for allegedly declining to bury her husband. [Stanley Ongwae, Standard]

Police in Nyamira have arrested a pastor and a police officer for allegedly participating in last week's horrific attack on a woman for allegedly refusing to do a burial rite.

Elijah Omoi, a police officer based at Kisii Police Station, and Jones Manyansa Mokua, a pastor with the Obedience Pentecostal Church of God, were arraigned at the Nyamira Law Courts, but were not charged.

The pastor was arraigned on Thursday afternoon while Omoi was presented before the same court on Friday morning.

They were arrested in connection with the brutal attack on Mellen Mogaka, the woman who was violently attacked by mourners at Nyabisimba area of West Mugirango Constituency after she refused to cooperate with villagers in honouring the Gusii customary rite that involves throwing of soil into the grave by relatives.

According to the videos of the incident that have since gone viral in the social media, the woman had separated from the deceased husband and they were living apart until his death.

She returned her matrimonial home purposely to allow her children to bury their dad when the village turned against her after she raised demands over family properties.

Ms Mogaka and some family members were injured during the melee.

According to police, the deceased died in a self-inflicted road crash in mid-March. Leaders from across the country have condemned the incident, which they termed unacceptable and backwards.

The two could be allowed to take a plea after the police asked for additional time to carry out investigations and build a watertight case against the accused persons.

The nabbing of the two suspects brings the total number of suspects to five.

On Tuesday, three other suspects were arrested and arraigned before the same court, but the police asked for more time for the investigations.

The Magistrate however gave an order that all suspects be produced in court on April 1, 2025.

"The request for seven days so as you finish the investigations has been allowed and if there will be need for extension of the timeframe, you will make another application," the court ruled.