Suspected serial killer arrested after human body parts found in river

An Administration Police officer retrieves some of the body parts of a woman found in River Charachani in Miruka, Nyamira County, Monday. The dismembered parts were found in the stream by swimming children. [Photo: Stanley Ongwae/standard]

Nyamira, Kenya: A man suspected to be a serial killer is being held at Nyamira police station after parts of the body of a woman believed to be his wife were retrieved from a river.

The whereabouts of the couple's four-year-old daughter is not known, with the residents allaying fears that she may have also been killed and her body dumped somewhere.

County Police Commander Mwarungu Mwandoe said the first discovery of the body parts was made on Saturday by children who were out swimming at River Charachani when they stumbled upon a human foot severed at the ankle.

"Police were alerted and upon moving to the scene, the intestines, liver, and parts of the sternum were retrieved and later, more parts were found in different parts of the stream," said Mr Mwandoe.

John Onderi, a resident, said the woman identified as Beatrice Masuka, aged around 40, went missing on Thursday last week. The discovery was made on Saturday.

in-laws wrath

There was tension in the village early yesterday after angry relatives of the killed woman invaded the home of the alleged killer husband and torched five houses belonging to his family members.

The suspect, Samuel Nyakwara, 38, who was still in his house at the time managed to escape and sought refuge at Miruka AP camp before being taken to custody.

Several gunshots were fired in the air and tear-gas canisters lobbed to quell the situation after war broke out between members of the slain woman's clan and those of the suspected killer following torching of the houses, worsening the fight, which led to two people suffering serious injuries.

A police vehicle was also partly destroyed as angry villagers pelted it with stones when they were driving into the village to contain the escalating chaos.

According to residents, the suspect had served about three years in prison after he poisoned his two daughters.

Mwandoe asked the residents to volunteer any information that could help in unearthing the mystery of the missing child.

When asked if they had records of the suspect's previous acts, Mwandoe said it was yet to be confirmed.

"For now, we are treating him as a first offender until his records are reviewed and ascertained that indeed he has previously been involved in crime," said Mwandoe.