Detectives detain key suspect in brutal murder of judge's employee

Detectives have arrested a man they said was a key suspect in the murder of Justice Effie Owuor's farm manager.

Senior security officers in the region said they had handed the suspect to detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters who had come to boost their investigations into the death of George Bengo.

Sources said the suspect could be transferred to Nairobi to face charges of murder and trespassing.

Nyanza regional DCI boss Michael Barasa said the file had been handed to detectives from Nairobi.

He declined to divulge information about the probe or to name the suspect, saying this could jeopardise investigations.

Regional police boss Leonard Katana said officers were pursuing other suspects.

“We are glad there has been peace since the incident occurred. We do not want people to let it degenerate into a conflict. This is a criminal act which will be dealt with as per the law," Mr Katana said.

Mr Bengo was said to have been lured to the retired judge's 250-acre farm at Nyangore in Muhoroni by his attackers.

The attackers were said to have set upon Bengo with sharp objects, killing him on the spot.

Paul Owuor, the judge's son, was seriously injured during the attack on Saturday.