Nyamira self confessed killer ‘belongs to cult’

The latest man to claim that he is a killer has told police that he belongs to a cult that specialises in ritual killings.

The man, who is said to come from Uyoma in Rarieda District, was arrested after claiming that he killed Ms Devina Amenya in a lodging in Keroka town.

He has told police that the cult has branches in Kisumu, Kericho, and Nairobi. “He said they kill their victims and shave off the hair, which they present to their leader every last Friday of the month as proof that they have accomplished a mission,” said local police boss Shadrack Maithya.

Mr Maithya said the man was found with human hair suspected to have been shaved from Ms Amenya, his last victim. The suspect’s confession could give Rachuonyo police leads in solving the mysterious murder of a woman in a Kendu Bay lodging two months ago.

Ms Margaret Abuko, a nurse at Kendu Adventist Hospital, was killed on the night of April 9-10. She had reportedly booked the room and was later joined by a female companion who could not be traced when her body was discovered.

The death left investigators perplexed as no traces of the killer could be found. She was later buried at her Kagan home in Homa Bay District.

Rachuonyo police boss Stephen Munguti said he could not discuss the matter in detail as he arrived a month after the incident. “I arrived here after the killings and the former CID boss who handled the matter was transferred to Webuye,” he said.

On Monday, another woman reported to Nyamira police how the suspect attempted to kill her in a Kisii lodging. She told investigators that she had known the assailant for a year .

Mr Maithya said the woman, whose name police could not disclose, will be a witness when the man appears in court. Several people whose names were mentioned in the confessions as accomplices were being sought by police.

The 22-year-old man is said to have confessed he joined the cult while at secondary school. In the Keroka killing, he booked the lodging through a waiter at the bar and registered as G. Otieno. No other details were given.  

The Nyamira police boss said CID officers from Nyamira, Kericho and Nyando were working together to establish if the confessions were true.

He claims to have killed three people in Bondo, two in Nyando, one in Sotik and one in Masaba North district. But when he was arrested, he claimed he had killed five people in Kendu Bay, Katito, Kapsoit, which did not feature in Monday’s briefing.

Nyando police boss Patrick Mbarire said he could not verify the man’s claims.

Never been used

Bondo DC Mohamud Salim said no mysterious deaths had been reported in lodgings in the district while Rarieda DO 1, Mr Mohamud Hussein, also said no such cases were reported in the district.

Mr Maithya said the man had a Kenyan passport which was issued in 2009 but had never been used. On Monday, people who came into contact with the man described him as a charming person.

A woman, who said she was the last person to visit Ms Amenya at the Obomo Hotel room, and identified herself as Judith, said the man posed no danger. “He is the kind of person you want to meet. They are always nice to us and treat us well,” Judith said.

Sources said the suspect, is very eloquent, appeared calm and happy during the interrogation. He apparently killed Ms Amenya, after his initial target, Duke Monyancha, a 20-year-old employee of the lodging escaped from him.

Mr Monyancha had shown the alleged killer around Keroka the previous night. “He kept asking me about the town and he wanted us to walk along dark streets. He seemed to be happy about something but would not tell me about it,” Mr Monyancha said.

Mr Monyancha said he told him he wanted to visit the US soon for a “mission.” During interrogation, the man said he wanted to kill Mr Monyancha.

Reported by Henry Nyarora, Eric Oloo, Abiud Ochieng’, Maurice Kaluoch, Benson Nyagesiba and Nyambega Gisesa