Patrols intensified in Matungu as murder suspects arrested

The government has intensified police patrols and increased the number of security personnel in Matungu Sub-County, Kakamega County in an effort to boost security following recent killings.

Kakamega County Commissioner Abdiruzak Jaldesa assured residents that security has been restored in the region following the arrest of five suspects believed to have been behind the spate of killings.

He was speaking in Matungu Tuesday during a leaders’ meeting called to discuss security matters.

OFFICERS MOVED

He said security officers who have worked in one station for long have also been transferred and a new team brought in order to seal any gaps in security operations.

Matungu residents have been living in fear for the last one month as unknown criminals relentlessly terrorised them.

Police say that three suspects have since been killed by members of the public and two gunned down by security officers.

Mr Jaldesa said that each of the five wards in the area will have a security team with a leader and that all operations will be coordinated well for effectiveness.

He warned politicians in the area against misusing the youth by luring them with money into committing crime.

POLITICAL RIVALRY

The county commissioner said that political rivalry has been singled out as one of the factors contributing to insecurity in the area and that investigations have been launched into the matter.

Police have now zeroed in on three politicians in connection with the killings.

Mr Jaldesa also banned night funeral activities popularly known as disco matanga with immediate effect.

He said that investigations had revealed that some of the killings were linked to night activities during funerals.

He warned the perpetrators of the killings that the government is pursuing them and that authorities would not rest until the killings stop.

“You can run but you will not hide,” he said.

SLEEPING OUTSIDE

Some of the residents of Matungu said they are sleeping outside their houses for fear of being attacked by the thugs whose motive remain unknown as they kill but do not steal anything from their victims.

The latest incident occurred on May 3 where a 25-year-old woman and her daughter were killed.

The county commissioner asked residents to cooperate with the police by giving information on the whereabouts of the suspects so that they can be apprehended in order to bring to a stop to the senseless killings.