Panic as 70-year-old woman and her son murdered

A 70-year-old woman and her son were yesterday found murdered in Waitwa village, Murang’a County.

The woman’s neighbours first found the body of Benson Muhungi, the woman’s son, lying on a path leading to the family compound.

Ten metres from it, they found the body of Margaret Nyambura, the woman, covered with a blanket.

Kandara Deputy Police Commander Paul Wambugu said investigations showed Nyambura was dragged from her kitchen to the path, where she met her death.

He said Nyambura and Muhungi appeared to have been hit with blunt objects on their heads.

“The woman was dragged for about 10 metres from her kitchen by her assailant,” said Mr Wambugu, adding: “The killers seem to have been on a revenge mission.”

He did not clarify on the possibility of a “revenge mission”.

Food in kitchen

Wambugu stressed that police found food in Nyambura’s kitchen, an indication that she had been cooking when her killer(s) struck.

He said already a team of detectives was on the ground to piece the evidence together.

Neighbours who spoke to The Standard said the woman and her son had, for a long time, been living in the homestead alone.

A neighbour who requested anonymity said they were both seen in their home on Saturday.

“After the bodies were discovered on the path, the area chief was notified and he alerted police,” said the neighbour.

Murder weapon

Residents in the village blamed bhang peddlers for the rise in criminal activities locally. They appealed to police to deal with them.

Wambugu said police were particularly interested in recovering the murder weapon.

He appealed to the public to volunteer information that could help unearth the killers’ motive.

“The murder scene was ugly. We hope the public will help us arrest the culprits,” said Wambugu.  

The bodies were moved to Thika District Mortuary for a postmortem.