Is killer gang on the loose in Ndaragua?
In Ndaragua, men are disappearing mysteriously, only for their bodies to be found later, in a worrying trend that has sent residents into a panic.
Even more mysterious is the pattern that is emerging -- most bodies are found mutilated and burnt with acid.
Residents say that the latest three murders were committed by criminals they claim are well known; and asked the police to arrest them.
Known killers
“These kinds of murders started about four years ago and we have lost 12 young men in this way. But we are more concerned that three cases have happened this month, yet no one has been arrested. The killers are known, but they have instilled fear in the relatives of the deceased and the community. They threaten to kill anyone revealing their identity,” said a resident.
Among the latest victims is Amos Gichuki, 25, from Suguroi village, whose decomposing body was found in his house last Friday. His funeral was cancelled by villagers at the last minute, demanding the arrest of the killer gang.
The other victim is Michael Ndiang’ui, whose decomposing body was also found in his house two weeks after he disappeared.
Both Gichuki and Ndiang’ui were last spotted in Silent Bar in the village. It is suspected Gichuki was murdered in the bar and his body taken to his house, put on the bed, acid poured on the face and then covered with blankets.
Armed police officers guard a bar where Amos Gichuki Gichuku is suspected to have been murdered and later taken to his house where he was raced with acid.
The third victim, Lucas Njoroge, 26, from Umoja Mbuyu village, disappeared about two weeks ago. Njoroge made and sold snacks using a boda boda.
His mother Mary Wanjiru said he was last spotted at Nairutia market riding a motorcycle registration number KMFJ 293A, which he used in his business.
“My son was the breadwinner for the family since his father died in 2015, he leaves the home at 5 in the morning to sell the snacks. He was riding to Makutano market but the snacks were all bought at Nairutia by 6 in the morning. A customer from Gwa Kung’u market called him around the same hour and he said he was on his way back home, it was the last call he made,” said Ms Wanjiru.
On Wednesday, residents refused to bury Gichuki until investigations are done.
“We arrived home from Nyahururu Referral Hospital after the post-mortem and found the community had resolved not to have the burial conducted until the investigations are done and the killer gang arrested. We had prepared and bought everything needed for the ceremony,” said Ms Teresia Njeri, Gichuki’s grandmother.
Raised suspicions
On Wednesday, irate villagers broke into the bar where Gichuki was last spotted and found some bloodstains in the bar, and at the back, confirming their fears that the victim was murdered in the bar and carried home, about a kilometre away.
A neighbour of the bar said the business, which operates all day and night, has been closed since the day Gichuki disappeared, making the residents suspicious.
“We got suspicious after the bar failed to open for a week since his disappearance, we also recalled that Ndiang’ui was last spotted in the same bar before his murder. I heard some noise from the bar on the Friday Gichuki disappeared. It was about 3am and it must have been the time they brutally murdered the victim,” said a neighbour.
Ms Njeri said she was attracted by what appeared to be a swarm of bees moving in and out of her grandson’s room, but on checking, she found they were flies.
“A foul smell was emanating from the house. I raised the alarm to attract the neighbours who broke the door to find my grandson on the bed, his decomposing body was being consumed by worms. We could not recognise his face,” she said.
She described the grandson as a bright boy who was working hard to raise money to join a teaching college, with a Grade C Plain from Amboni Secondary School in Mweiga, Nyeri County.
At midday on Wednesday, officers from Ndaragua Police Station arrived at the suspected scene of murder and arrested a waitress who was on duty on the night Gichuki was last seen there.
Ndaragua Sub-County Police Commander Nancy Jerobon said Njoroge’s case is been treated as murder, and two suspects have been arrested. The investigations are going on.
Deputy County Commissioner Walter Ngaira said: “The bar where the victim is said to have been killed is in Laikipia County under Rumuruti jurisdiction. His body was carried and locked in his house within our area. The body was taken to Nyahururu Referral Hospital for postmortem, we believe it's a murder, and are waiting for updates from Rumuruti DCI,” said Mr Ngaira. BY DAILY NATION
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