Matungu killings: Boy stabbed to death as parents go to pray

Family members Malik Moi, the standard one pupil at Bulimbo star who was killed in Matungu on Sunday evening. [Duncan Ocholla, Standard]

A seven-year-old boy died after a brutal attack on Sunday evening in Matungu sub-county, raising the number of people killed in the area to 21.

Malik Moi, a Grade One pupil at Bulimbo Star Academy, was attacked by unknown assailants, as he played with friends.

According to friends he was playing hide-and-seek with, Moi had hidden in an abandoned house where he was later found with stab wounds in the neck and stomach.

The incident happened at 7pm at Simba wa Nyika village when the boy's parents had left for evening prayers at a nearby mosque.

His friends said they fled when Moi screamed for help.

By the time the first rescuer came to his aid, the boy was dying. 

A bloodied knife suspected to have been used in the brutal attack was found a few metres from the scene.

“He was gasping for breath when he was found, still alive but in pain,” said Rashid Kweyu, the boy’s uncle.

Screaming neighbours

Malik’s mother, Miriam Kaloki, who had just returned from the mosque, said she was in the kitchen preparing the evening meal when she heard screams from neighbours and rushed outside.

“I went out and saw people running to one of the houses close to the road. They told me my child’s intestines were spilling out,” she said.

The family rushed the boy to St Mary’s Hospital, Mumias, where he was referred to Kakamega County Referral Hospital but died on the way.

The police were for the better part of yesterday at the boy’s home collecting evidence and taking witness statements.

The killing happened in the same family that a man and his pregnant wife were murdered in late March.

Shiundu Kongangi, 29, and his wife Wanjiru Shiundu were on March 27 found stabbed and clobbered to death by unknown people.

The attack also happened on the night when four politicians were released after being held for two days for questioning on the recent Matungu killings.

Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala, Matungu MP Justus Murunga, Mayoni MCA Libinus Oduor and former Sports CS Rashid Echesa were held over the weekend.

Released on Sunday

They were released on Sunday night after the Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji ordered further investigations.

Condoling with the family, Mr Murunga called on police to do more to arrest culprits behind the killings.

“The Government should act swiftly and ruthlessly to tame these killings that are even targeting children,” he said.