Elderly Nyamira woman killed over witchcraft

Police in Nyamira are investigating the killing of an elderly woman in what has been viewed as a ritual killing. 

County Commissioner Amos Mariba said he had ordered the immediate arrest and bringing to book of all the people believed to have been behind the killing of Agnes Kwamboka Nyagwachi,60, at Bundo in Bogichora, Nyamira South.

Mariba said the body of the woman was found in a eucalyptus farm, about 50 meters away from her house.

"The body was lying on the ground and beside it were things which have led us to believe that it was a killing related to witchcraft or some form of rituals and currently we are narrowing down on possible perpetrators of the cold blood murder," Mariba said.

The County Commissioner said some of the things which were retrieved beside the body included two dead rats, two brooms, two stones, one white pair of shorts, a full dress, two empty sacks, a black track tracksuit alongside a red pen.

Mariba said the deceased's husband Peter Nyagwachi reported to authorities that his wife was picked from her house Sunday morning at around 3 am by a group of people known to him on suspicion that she was a witch.

James Orutwa, a clan elder at Bundo Village said he heard people wailing from the scene where the body was recovered and went there only to find out that the woman had long died.

"From a close look, the body bore multiple injuries on the left side of the head and superficial wound on the left leg.

Mariba said police had swung into action and all that was possible was being done to ensure anyone who participated in the killing faces the law.

This is not the first incident of such a ritual killing.

Two years ago, another woman from Bonyamatuta village was also killed on suspicion that she was a witch.