After the bizarre murder of a seven-year-old boy who was killed in his family’s kitchen on Sunday evening in Matungu Kakamega, residents have now linked the inhumane killings to rituals and human sacrifice.
Malik Moi was stabbed on the neck and his stomach slit open while his guardians had gone for Ramadan prayers.
The innocent Class One pupil was found writhing in pain and later succumbed to the injuries at the Kakamega County General Hospital while undergoing treatment.
“We had gone to the mosque for Magharib prayers when the attackers killed the boy and went away leaving the knife at the scene,” said Mr Juma Makokha, the grandfather.
The defenceless minor did not get a chance to raise alarm and no one in their family noticed his fight against the attacker.
Residents are now demanding that police extend the scope of investigations to establish whether the killings are connected to ritual and human sacrifice.
They claim most of the killings bore common traits where no theft is committed and the scene is left with no blood.
“We were alerted by a distress call from his brother and when we arrived we found the boy’s bowels slit open. He also had a deep cut on the jugular although the crime scene had few visible dots of blood,” Saleh Kweyu, the boy’s grandfather told journalists yesterday.
Kakamega County Commissioner Adulrazak Jaldesa urged residents to avoid speculation over the killing until investigations are completed.
“We cannot conclusively say the killing is different from others until investigations are done,” he said.
Moi’s death brings to over 15 the number of villagers slaughtered by suspected member of 14 and 42 Bothers criminal gangs.
Detectives said the politicians were being investigated on allegations of incitement and mobilising youths linked to the gangs.
The first suspect, Kelson Liyenga alias Kevin Lienga, was arrested by the DCI in Kawangware, Nairobi on Wednesday, and transferred to Mbale for interrogation.
The DCI said Mr Gubimiru and Mr Liyenga, 20, are believed to be the ring leaders of gangs carrying out organised crimes in the Western region.
Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya has now claimed that some of the suspected killers are from Uganda.
“Some of the suspects who have been killing people in Matungu come from the neighbouring country,” he said, adding that others pass through Busia to Uganda after committing the crime.