Police in Nyamira have arrested a pastor and a policeman suspected of having a hand in last week’s attack on a woman for allegedly refusing to perform the burial rite.

The two, Elijah Omoi, a police officer based at Kisii Police Station, and Jones Manyansa Mokua, a pastor with the Obedience Pentecostal Church of God, were arraigned at the Nyamira Law Courts but were not charged.

The pastor was arraigned on Thursday afternoon, while Omoi was presented before the same court on Friday morning.

They were all arrested in connection with the brutal attack on Mellen Mogaka, the woman who was violently attacked by mourners at the Nyabisimba area of West Mugirango Constituency after she refused to cooperate with villagers in honouring the Gusii customary rite that involves the throwing of soil into the grave by relatives.

Water-tight case

Mogaka and some family members were injured during the melee.

The two could be allowed to take plea after the police asked for additional time to carry out investigations and build a watertight case against the accused persons.

The nabbing of the two suspects brings the total number of suspects to five.

On Tuesday last week, three other suspects were arrested and arraigned before the same court, but the police asked for more time for the investigations.

However, the Magistrate ordered that all suspects being produced in court on April 1 but she insisted that in case they required more time, they would make another application for the same.

“The request for seven days to allow you to finish the investigations has been granted, and if there will be need for extension of the time frame, you will make another application,” the court ruled.

 Residents from the county led by Woman Rep Jerusha Momanyi (pictured) have since condemned the incident and have demanded for the arrest of all those involved and be made to face the full force of the law.

The Abagusii Council of Elders led by the secretary Angwenyi  Bosire  has also condemned the incident saying it was against the Abagusii culture to force a man or woman to bury her death wife or husband.