Doom and sorrow took over Kilingili market on the border of Kakamega and Vihiga Counties as shocking killings were discovered at the break of dawn.
Five guards in the area are reported to have lost their lives in a brutal robbery in Vihiga. Traumatized citizens stood for long hours waiting for the bodies to be collected, halting any other activity in the market.
The incident happened 50 metres from Kilingili Police Station, which residents said was of no use to them.
“We just woke in the morning to find bodies scattered in the market. It seems some were running away, but the thugs caught up with them and hacked them to death,” a resident identified as Joseph said.
The deceased were identified by family members as Linus Anyiga (74) from Itemere village in Sabatia Constituency and Thomas Minao (70) from Lanaswa village in Kakamega. Others were Francis Osayo (48) from Wamage village in Sabatia and John Ondachi (63) from Kaluni sub location in Kakamega.
Charles Kalume, 60, succumbed to severe head injuries while undertaking treatment at Vihiga County Referral Hospital at around 8am Sunday morning.
Of the five, Minao had worked for over 10 years in the market, while the others had worked for less than three years each.
The residents put the police on the spotlight over laxity following rise of insecurity in the area accusing them of misplaced priorities that involve collecting bribes from chang’aa brewers and the harassment of boda bodas.