Panic after four bodies are found dumped in river beds

By DANIEL NZIA

Machakos, Kenya: Panic has gripped residents of Machakos and Makueni Counties following the discovery of four bodies dumped in separate river beds.

All the bodies did not have any identification documents on them.

The bodies of four men were found dumped under river bridges in Kangundo and Mwala in Machakos County and Mbooni East district in Makueni  on Friday.

Mwala OCPD Kiragu Mugo said the first body was discovered at Isivuni river at about 8.30am on the Masii-Tawa road while the second was found at about 11.30 am in Thwake river bridge, few kilometers from the first incident on the same road.

Mbooni East OCPD Peter Njeru confirmed the body of the man aged slightly over 39 years was found dumped in river Waaani drift on the Tawa-Mbumbuni road at about 9am.

He said his body was retrieved and taken to the Makueni district hospital mortuary to await a postmortem examination adding that his figure prints were taken for onward transmission to the figure prints experts in Nairobi for identification.

The Mwala police chief told The Standard on telephone that the victims could not be identified because they did not have any identification documents on them.

“It appears the victims were murdered elsewhere and dumped there by their assailants”, said Mugo.

He said the victims had marks on their necks and hands an indication that they had their hands tied with either robs or wires before they were strangled to death.

“The bodies of the victims in their 30s did not have any gunshot wounds or signs of having been beaten neither were there signs of struggle at the scene they were found”, added the OCPD.

He said the first victim was found without a shirt while the second body had all clothes on but minus shoes.

He said police took their finger prints which will be forwarded to experts to help in identifying their names and areas of origin as investigations get under way.

The police boss said their bodies were removed to the Machakos Level Five hospital mortuary to await a post mortem examination.