Man witnessed as gang killed pregnant wife and daughter

Stephen Rabuochi watched helplessly as a gang killed his pregnant wife and three-year-old daughter in Matungu, Kakamega County, on Saturday night.

The family had just retired to bed around 9.30pm when the four-man gang, armed with crude weapons, stormed their Sayangwe village home.

Rabuochi said he heard a commotion outside and when he peeped through the window, he saw people alight from motorbikes.

Before he knew, the gang had broken into their grass-thatched mud house, separated into two rooms with a piece of cloth.

Rabuochi pleaded with the attackers to spare his family, but they would hear none of it.

He said he witnessed as one of the attackers clobbered his nine-year-old daughter Loresho Adhiambo with a hammer. She survived. He then marched to where his other daughter, three-year-old Shirleen Awino, was sleeping and strangled her.

Then the attackers turned to Rabuochi’s wife Petronila Mungayi who was pregnant.

Petronila,40, was hit in the head a blunt object followed by a rain of kicks and blows on her chest and stomach.

“They also slashed me several times in the head. I later found myself here,” Rabuochi told The Standard from his hospital bed at Kakamega County Referral Hospital.

He said: “I am lucky I survived the attack.” His daughter Adhiambo too is recuperating at the same facility.

“I feel so bad I was unable to do anything to save my expectant wife and child who died on the spot,” said Rabuochi.

The incident is the latest in a string of deadly attacks being being witnessed Matungu and attributed to a dreaded gang christened 14 Brothers.

At least 15 people have been killed in the sub-county in the last one month. The victims include two secondary school students, according to area Deputy County Commissioner Charles Ocharo.

Haji Sumba,39, Lung’anyiro has been admitted to hospital with serious injuries after he fell in the hands of the gang.

Sumba was attacked on Friday as he walked home around 8.30pm. He sustained deep cuts in the head and legs.

“I was accosted with two young men who attacked me with crude weapons. One of them even attempted to cut my throat. I lost three teeth in the process,” said Sumba, who’s admitted at Matungu sub-county hospital.

“I was rescued by good Samaritans who took me to hospital. I thank God I am alive.”

The locals who were protesting increased insecurity in the areas also barricaded Busia – Bungoma highway at Ejinja shopping centre.

Suleiman Mambo, 25, a suspected member of the gang, was lynched by boda boda riders yesterday, police said.

Mambo’s aunt, Zulekha Khamala, however exonerated him from any wrong doing.

“Mambo didn’t deserve to die, he is not a criminal. It was wrong for the mob to stone him to death as police watched,” she said.

Mambo’s brother, Twalib Abubakar, too said he was innocent. “Most suspects who have been arrested by the police or gunned down are not residents of Matungu. Boda boda riders must be restrained from killing innocent people through mob justice,” Abubakar said.

Tension was still high in the area as GSU officers were deployed to restore order.

Residents have accused the police of laxity. They claim some of the law enforcers are colluding with criminals.

Two people were arrested at Mayoni shopping centre on Sunday over the attacks that have rocked the region and several weapons recovered.

County Commissioner Abdulrazak Jaldesa had earlier ordered the transfer of Matungu OCS and his juniors for ‘sleeping on the job’.

The police are also investigating claims local politicians could be behind the attacks.

“If we establish a politician or any other leaders is behind these attacks, we will remind them they are not above the law,” said Ocharo.

Area MP Justus Murunga and former Sports CS Rashid Echesa called for speedy investigations.

Ocharo insisted the attacks were nothing, but normal crime. However, we are pursuing several leads including claims some local leaders may be involved in the killings,” said Ocharo.

Last week, the police killed two suspects and recovered a pistol and crude weapons that had blood stains