who could have murdered him?
Police have launched investigations to establish the motive behind the brutal murder of a former Mungiki sect member.
John Githinji’s body stashed was found inside a sack just one month after he surrendered to police,he had first been reported missing on Sunday and his acid-burnt body was recovered on Thursday evening in Nyeri.
According to his wife Julia Wanjiku, when they found him, his body had wounds all over- a sign that he was tortured.
It is suspected that his former criminal associates could have been behind his brutal death.
In 2000, he, together with one Joseph Keng’ethe, were sentenced to six years in prison for robbery with violence.
Githinji was taken to the Central Regional DCI headquarters in October by Muslims for Human Rights Chairman Khelef Khalifa when the government started a fresh crackdown on Mukingi members.
“He had reformed after leaving prison in 2006 but due to the crackdown on the sect, he presented himself to police and was assured of his protection,” Khalifa stated.
He added, “It’s evident that no other Mungiki member will ever surrender to police. In a matter of a fact, the police are putting our lives in danger.”
At the time of his untimely demise, the deceased had one wife and three children.
Residents of Central Kenya have been living in fear after the dreaded Mungiki sect reportedly made a come back.
This come hours after Police squads were sent to Muranga to investigate claims proscribed Mungiki sect is re-emerging there. Officials say the group has been operating in the area discretely extorting money from villagers and business people.
Inspector General of police Joseph Boinnet has asked on anyone who may have fallen victim to the extortionist rings to report to the nearest Police Officer or Police Station for action.
“It has come to the attention of police that certain known individuals in Murang’a County, with ties from others in some identified towns, are attempting to resuscitate the activities of certain proscribed criminal gangs to further their selfish personal interests,” he said without elaborating.
He added they had launched investigations into their activities that are aimed at dealing with the said individuals in accordance with the law.
Mungiki, among dozens of criminal gangs remains banned in the country. During its crackdown between 2007 and 2013 more than 1,000 people suspected to be members of the gang were killed or disappeared.