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Gang kills eight, maims 12 in serial attacks

By ERIC WAINAINA December 9th, 2017 2 min read

“Puzzling and like a movie series” is how residents of Muchatha in Kiambaa, Kiambu County, describe a spate of killings by a knife-wielding gang that, which according to them, has left about eight people dead in one month.

The gang, whose identity, number and motive remain a mystery descended on the area at the beginning of last month, and so far, locals say it has executed 20 cases, out of which eight have resulted to death, seven of whom have already been buried and 12 others injured.

The victims, residents say, have gone through the same torture – being stabbed on the chest, stomach or ribs, and post-mortem reports indicated that they all had one of their main blood veins and liver cut, and in most cases, the gang fled without robbing them.

The recent incident was reported on Thursday night, only five days after a public bazara was organised by the area MP Paul Koinange over the matter, and which brought together security chiefs who are now being accused of laziness and incompetence.

During the incidents, two people, 35-year-old Elijah Wanyoike from at Gathanga and a second one from Sakawa area, which is along Ruaka-Banana Road were injured. One is fighting for his life at Kiambu Level Five Hospital after he was stabbed on the ribs.

Residents said the gang that was speaking in local dialect pulled Mr Wanyoike from his compound at about 10pm as he was brushing his teeth, and only fled after a neighbour responded to his distress call but he had been stabbed already.

STABBED TO DEATH

The first victim of the audacious gang, which locals said have managed to conceal their identity and operations, was Mr John Kang’ethe from Nguruwe Village, who was stabbed six times on November 5.

The body of the 45-year-old, who used to earn a living from casual jobs, was found at around 6 am by neighbours less than 10 metres from his home.

According to relatives, he was stabbed on the stomach, ribs and face while his hands has several cuts, an indication that he may have struggled with his attackers before he died.

His mother, Ms Mary Wambui said the killers did not steal anything from him, adding after being frisked, the police found Sh180, a match box and cigarettes in his pocket.

“These are not normal crimes because the killers would have at least taken away his belongings,” a devastated Ms Wambui told Saturday Nation.

Residents are demanding that the government deploys the National Intelligence Service and flying squad officers to investigate the people behind the killings and the motives, saying although local officers have been doing their daily patrols, they gangs appear to have outsmarted them.