The body of a four-year-old boy from Kavengero in Mbeere North Sub-County, Embu who went missing three weeks ago was yesterday found and retrieved from Thuci River.
The body of Brayden Mutwiri was retrieved after a long search since late December when he went missing.
Nephat Nyaga, uncle to the deceased said a 16-year-old boy is the main suspect.
Nyaga said the boy narrated how, with other accomplices from the area lured the deceased while playing at home and took him to the river where they killed him before dumping his body.
According to Nyaga, the suspects used the boy to commit the crime with a promise of monetary reward.
On Tuesday, one of the suspects led Criminal Investigation Officers to the scene of crime and a search for the body was launched on Wednesday. The officers found the deceased’ body stuck in a cleft of a rock.
Police officers from Siakago were alerted and moved the body to Siakago Hospital mortuary, as angry residents torched the home and business premises of a suspect on Wednesday evening.
Mbeere North Deputy County Commissioner Lucy Ndemo said police are holding two suspects who are helping with investigations.
She confirmed that residents were speculating a ‘ritual sacrifice’ but maintained they are carrying out investigations to establish the murder.
“Our security officers have confirmed that a house and a shop have been burned down. I want to appeal to the residents not to take the law into their hands, but I want to assure them the law will take its course,” Ndemo Said.
Residents condemned the alleged murder calling for quick investigations and that the culprits are brought to book.
Purity Muringo, a resident said parents in the area are living in fear concerning the security of their school going children.
“We are calling for investigations to unearth these mysterious killings of innocent children,” Muringo said.
Residents say this is the second incident where a missing child has been retrieved from the river.
Three months ago, the body of a girl who went missing was found dumped at the same river.
