Mwatate area of Taita Taveta County has been hit by a wave of bizarre killings that have left residents blaming the police for sleeping on the job.
In the last two weeks, close to ten people, majority of them being women and children have been killed by unknown people but the perpetrators have not been arrested.
The latest victim is a lorry driver, who was been beaten to death by goons suspected to have been hired by a trader who had accused the deceased of allegedly supplying him contaminated maize at Chawia village.
Mwatate OCPD Francis Mwangi who confirmed the killing said police are still pursuing several people over the killing.
Eye witnesses said the mob slashed the driver with a panga thrice, leaving him for dead while one of the loaders sustained deep cut wounds on his head. The other had one of his front teeth knocked out by the attackers.
The OCPD said the incident happened when the deceased identified as Joseph Njoroge drove to the village to supply his customer with maize loaded in a lorry.
Mwangi said the driver and two of his loaders were attacked after alighting from the lorry to offload the maize.
He said after inspecting the maize, the mob who appeared to have planned the attack descended on the driver and his loaders with crude weapons which included a panga.
“We have not arrested any suspect in connection to the incident but we are following up on several people who could provide us with information regarding the identity of those behind the killing of the driver,” said Mwangi.
In another incident, an elderly woman was gang-raped and murdered in cold blood at Lushangonyi area living the residents in shock.
Three primary school girls were raped and killed by a marauding criminal gangs.
Area leaders have condemned the incidences blaming the police of doing little to stop the killings which have left many families devastated.
In a separate incident, police have arrested a man who allegedly murdered his younger brother following a domestic violence at
Mkengerenyi village in the same sub-county.
Eye witness and the police said the deceased, 39, arrived home late in the night and picked a quarrel with his parents.
Police said his 51-year-old brother who had gone to help the parents after he heard the commotion, hit him with a club on his head to death.
The killings have sparked off protest from residents who claim that police have been taking too long to respond or investigate such incidents whenever they are reported.
“These killings have shocked people here at Mwatate, there is no single day which passes without reports of murder of attack. Families are morning every day,” said Ann Wanjala, a resident of Mwatate trading center
