Man killed as wife, children watch over witchcraft claims

A man was hacked to death as his wife and children watched in Mwaluganje village in Kinango, Kwale County.

Guni Mwandia, 80, was hacked with an axe after his home was raided by a gang armed with crude weapons in the dead of night on Sunday over witchcraft allegations. 

This comes barely a week after another man was shot dead outside his home in Mwandimu village in broad daylight as his family members watched.

Mwangolo Chikophe, 43, was shot dead by a lone gunman while seated outside his home with his children.

In Mwandia's case, family sources said the gang gained entry into the house through a window as he and his young wife were asleep.

Mwandia, who retired from the Ministry of Water in Kwale County more than 25 years ago, reportedly had a land dispute with some neighbours.

His son, Rumba Guni, said the old man was hacked on the head and died on the spot. He said the patriarch was to be buried at his farm yesterday after the body was collected from Kinango hospital mortuary where it had been taken by the police who visited the home on Sunday morning.

Guni said there were murmurs from the neighbourhood that his father engaged in witchcraft, adding that the "reports are not clear".