Fear of return of killer gang as couple shot dead in Kisumu’s Nyalenda slums

A couple was brutally murdered in Kisumu’s Nyalenda slums Thursday by unknown gunmen who raided their house at dawn raising fears among residents that a killer gang could be on the loose.

The bodies of Mr George Omondi and his wife Jacinta Achieng were discovered lying in a pool of blood by neighbours.

Mr Omondi, a Tuk Tuk rider in Kisumu Town, was shot in the head while his wife was shot at the chest. Both had deep cuts on various parts of their bodies.

Household items were strewn all over, pointing to a struggle that they could have engaged in with the killers.

Neighbours sobbed as police moved the bodies from a mud-walled house at the heart of the Nyalenda slums.

Some of the neighbours who spoke to Nation said they heard a loud bang at around 3am which they thought was as a result of an electric fault.

Ms Christine Akinyi, a neighbour, described Ms Achieng’ as a polite person who did odd jobs to make ends meet for her struggling family.

POLITE WOMAN

“We have worked with Jacinta for four years. She is a polite woman. She even visited my house yesterday in the evening to find out whether we have a catering job this weekend,” Ms Akinyi said.

Ms Pheny Awuor expressed fear that the killing could be a signal of the return of a dreaded gang.

“In this place, there is normally a season when people are killed indiscriminately.

“We want police to step up patrols and ensure everyone walks with their IDs around. The influx of strangers in these slums has become so high,” Ms Awuor said.

Kisumu police boss Christopher Mshimba said the motive of the killing was not immediately established.

He said they would investigate the circumstances under which the two were killed since the criminals did not take anything from them.

“We found eight spent cartridges at the scene. We suspect the killers were on a mission to assassinate the couple. Investigations are ongoing,” Mr Mshimba said.

“The criminals did not steal anything from the house. The mobile phones, among other valuables, were not taken away,” the police boss said.

DREADED 42 BROTHERS

The incident happened at a time when crime rates in the town had gone down tremendously after a period of incessant attacks.

Crime in Kisumu has been associated with a group calling itself “42 brothers” which conducts its operations on motorbikes.

Most of the group’s members were eliminated by police in 2015.

On Wednesday, a police officer reported that he had lost his firearm from his house.

Police said investigations were underway to unearth the circumstances under which the gun disappeared as alleged by the officer.

Residents have been complaining of possible collusion between criminals and police, further raising questions on the coincidence of the loss of the gun and Thursday’s incident.

Mr Nyaori Nyang, a resident of Nyalenda, told Nation.co.ke that they feared the high crime rates that had hit the region might return if not dealt with appropriately.