According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), residents at Kabachi had gone to visit Kawira Kanyaru who immediately took off and dropped the gun wrapped in a green shopping bag while fleeing.
DCI says that Kawira is the daughter of a murder suspect William Kanyaru who together with two other men allegedly murdered a 70-year-old man on February 17, 2024, over a land dispute.
William, Robert Meeme and Japhet Johana are said to have visited a farm in Luthaya village on the fateful day targeting the old man’s son armed with a pistol, a panga and a knife.
“William is said to have fired one round that missed the targeted son of the deceased, before his late father sped to his rescue. The three are said to have shifted their attention to him where they brutally attacked him to death,” said DCI’s statement in part.
A subsequent manhunt saw William and Johana surrender to the police and shifted blame to Meeme, saying that he was in possession of the murder weapon.
On Sunday night, the area assistant chief got wind that Kawira had links to the murder and mobilised a few residents to accompany him during his visit to the lady’s house.
Kawira is said to have immediately took off after she spotted the residents.
The weapon she dropped, DCI added, was found loaded with six rounds of ammunition and is believed to be the one her father owned.
A heightened manhunt now seeks to apprehend Kawira who is still at large.
By Moses Kinyanjui