Boy held as village reels from cold blood murder of family members

The suspect was arrested at Poroko village. [iStockphoto]

Police are holding a teenager believed to have hacked to death his aunt and her three children, including an unborn baby, in a fit of anger in Trans Mara, Narok County.

The suspect was arrested at Poroko village on Tuesday then taken to Kilgoris Police Station. 

However, due to security concerns, police sources said a decision was made to transfer him to Narok where he will be held.

Yesterday, investigating officers said they were burning the midnight oil to follow various leads and tighten investigations, which could take up to 10 days. 

Security officials say the 17 yea-old had twisted the necks of the two children aged 5 and 10, rolled the bodies down a hill to make it look like an accident. He later placed the bodies side by side inside a maize plantation.

Trans Mara West police boss Hamisi Gonzalla said the suspect had earlier been arrested for breaking and stealing but the aunt pleaded with the courts to free him. Gonzalla said the teenager was handed a probationary sentence. 

The woman was six months pregnant at the time she was killed. The incident occurred on Sunday night, according to the police. The woman was pronounced dead upon arrival at the Narok County Hospital.

UNBORN BABY

“It is shocking that this homestead will bury four people because the hospital has confirmed they will remove the unborn baby and have it buried separate.  This is a pure criminal act,” said Mr Dominic Olonana, a resident. Mr Olonana urged locals to assist the police to flush out criminals and have them face the law.

“The boy is just from next door. I am told that at some point, he was suspected of stealing from the deceased.

He was arrested, charged and convicted but handed a noncustodial sentence,” said Mr Olonana. 

Neighbours and relatives claimed the boy was a notorious criminal in the area. 

“After members of the public caught up with him, he alleged that he had been stabbed with a sword. Since he had been found alive, he will tell us who stabbed him, ” said Mr Samson Leteipa, a close relative. 

Mr Leteipa pointed out that the area of Poroko had been hit with criminal incidences in the recent past, with some groups of criminals attacking villagers at night. 

“Police should intensify patrols and flush out criminals. People cannot be under siege from these criminals to an extent that the peace-loving citizens are fearing to step out of their houses at night. Do they want the villagers to relocate to town where there are police officers?” wondered Mr Leteipa. 

Relatives and neighbours suspected that there might have been disagreements with the slain woman before the assailants wiped out the entire family members, leaving the man of the house only who was away in Nairobi where he works. 

Mr Leteipa said the crime had caused fear among the locals and called on police to act immediately.

A family member said Saturday night, they heard screams from the home of the slain victim but the wailings got drowned in the heavy downpour that bound the area.

“After the screams persisted, we came out and went to the home of the deceased. We found blood and beans strewn all over the house. There was nobody. The children were not there, not even their mother,” said Ms Zilpar Nareiyo. 

Ms Nareiyo said after assessing the situation they did not know where to go and find the victims. “We got confused as to what to do. We thought they had fled to safety.”

Ms Nareiyo said she and other villagers decided to keep vigil in the home until 10pm when the men told the women to go back into their homes and allow them keep watch to see if the victims will emerge.