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The rise of mysterious murder cases at various villages in Gatundu North, Kiambu County has left residents terrified and furious.

In the last one month, three people have been found dead under mysterious circumstances. The bodies of two of the victims were mutilated.

Known for its greenery and abundant agricultural production, the constituency has been enjoying tranquility until recently when all hell broke loose.

Sebastian Kimani, a Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) graduate, is one  of the victims of the unresolved murders.

Kimani, who studied Agricultural Economics at JKUAT, was found dead at a club in Kiriko village on the eve of May 2.

“His death was shocker to me,” said his mother Esther Wangui. “I had hoped he would help me educate his younger sisters and brothers. I struggled doing menial jobs to educate him all the way to university. I cannot cope with the fact that Kimani, our hope is no more.” 

Investigators, who declined to be named, said he may have been attacked elsewhere but died at a club at the local  shopping centre. 

No arrest

But his family believes Kimani – according to postmortem report conducted by government pathologist at General Kago morgue in Thika – died after he was hit with a blunt object at the club. 

“Kimani was hit with a blunt object and had internal bleeding. He struggled to defend himself and as a he struggled, the killers injured one of his hands as per the postmortem report that government pathologists showed us,” Kimani Kiarie, a preacher who was Kimani’s burial committee chairperson, told the press in an interview.

Weeks after his body was found at the club, family members are infuriated that not a single suspect has been arrested, raising concerns that investigators may be taking them in circles.

Speaking at their home days after they laid him to rest, family members and villagers accused the police of not  doing enough to bring to book the killers of their son.

They blamed his death on the increase in alcohol abuse in the area with bars at Kiriko shopping centre said to be more than retail shops and hotels combined.

“We have more clubs here than hotels combined with retail shops. Our generation is at the verge of extinction. Easy availability of liquor is a big problem and the authorities must help us eradicate alcohol abuse in this area. If there were no bars, Kimani would possibly be alive today,” added Kiarie.

Restore sanity

Angered by police inaction, residents gave the authorities a seven-day ultimatum to arrest Kimani’s killers.

Five days after Kimani’s death, the mutilated body of Jackline Waithera Njuguna, 13, was found in Makwa village. 

The body was found on the road on May 7 with the eyes and tongue missing.

“The killers had mutilated her body. It’s sad that people can torture and kill a Grade Six child in such a monstrous manner. Her killers must be made to pay for her death,” a resident said.

A week after her murder, Peter Mwangi, a 48-year-old butchery attendant, was killed by people believed to have waylaid him as he was going home after work.

Mwangi was stabbed in the head on May 14. The killers made away with his phone and money.

Following the killings, residents are asking the government to beef up security and come up with effective plans that can improve the socio-economic situation of the area.

“Action must be taken to restore sanity in this constituency. We cannot be working and living in fear when we have a government in place. It is time for the authorities to rise to the occasion and do what they are employed to do,” Stephen Chege, a resident said.

While local security officials declined to comment on the  murder cases, area MP Elijah Njoroge Kururia promised to tighten security in the constituency.

“We have organised for increased police patrols and we are urging the public to volunteer information on what is happening around them. We are also asking people to adopt other ways of solving disputes and we assure them that security will improve going forward to ensure they go about their business uninterrupted,” said Kururia.