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Police hunting down driver who ran over six women and stabbed two men


Police in Tigania East, Meru county are hunting down a 31-year-old man who went on the rampage, ran over six women with a vehicle and stabbed two men at Muriri market.

Mr Joshua Kileru, a businessman at Muriri market intentionally drove his Toyota into a group of traders who were selling vegetables at the busy roadside market, crashing four women and three men.

FATAL STABBING

Six of the victims suffered multiple injuries, majority left with broken legs.

The frenzied youth then disembarked from the vehicle wielding a sword and ran to a nearby butchery and stabbed one Mr Simon Mwenda, 26, in the chest, leaving him fighting for his life.

The trader, who was waving the sword which was dripping with blood, then confronted one Mr Mutembei Mwongera, a local painter and drove the knife on the left side of the heart, killing him on the spot.

He then quickly fled the scene on a motorcycle, mysteriously evading the surging crowd and police officers who were in hot pursuit.

The Monday evening incident which caused panic throughout the rural sub county and the region, as word went out that he had confessed to be on a killing spree and was waylaying unsuspecting locals.

ON THE RUN

Muthara sub county hospital medical officer Geoffrey Koome said they had treated four women and three men following the attack, among them a 90-year-old woman had suffered compound fractures.

Earlier on, the man had complained that he had received threats from herders who alleged that he had rammed some camels, killing one.

Area police boss Peter Karanja said they had spread their dragnet to neighbouring Isiolo county, after word went out that he had visited the local hospital seeking treatment for unspecified injuries.

However, the assailant seemed to be a step ahead of the police whenever he was tracked.

“We went to the spot where he switched off his phone and combed the general area. We have been getting information whenever he is spotted but when we get there, we don’t find him. He is armed and dangerous,” warned Mr Kimani.

PRAYERS

Area residents on Tuesday held an open air crusade to pray for the assailant and the victims, saying he could have been bewitched.

Mr Daniel Nyamuhanga, a waiter in a local hotel narrated how he escaped from the assailant by hiding in a toilet.

“I saw him running down here and after running over traders. I quickly hid in the toilet,” he said.

Led by Pastor Sammy Karau of Muthara pastors’ fellowship, the members of clergy held a two hour prayer session seeking to “cleanse” the town of any evil spirits.

“We are here to console the families and pray for our town. The assailant is one of us and he is well known. When one turns into a killer, we know it is an evil spirit inside him,” he said.