Four suspects arrested in connection with the killing of six men in Masebula in Butula Constituency will be held for two more weeks to allow police to complete investigation. 

The four were arraigned yesterday but did not take plea. One of them was Caroline Atieno, a widow of the businessman at whose burial the six men were killed last weekend. Others were the deceased’s brother Boniface Onyango, a Kevin Omondi and Ronald Oduor.

Principal Magistrate Samson Temu accepted a request by investigating officer from Bumala police station Paul Ngesa to have the suspects stay in police custody for two weeks.

The court directed that the suspects be taken back to the court on December 2 to plead.

Atieno’s plea to be freed on grounds that she was alone at home hit a snag, as Mr Temu ruled that they remain in custody.

Hours after the four were arraigned, two more suspects were arrested in Bumala market.

They were linked to the killing of the six bouncers who had travelled from Nyando Constituency to provide security during the burial ceremony of Johannes Okoth Aduol.

Mercy Auma, Aduol’s other widow, did not attend the burial on Saturday after she was taken away by police due to security concerns.

Butula sub-county Police Commander Richard Omanga had earlier told The Standard Auma sought to be taken away from the home.

“We took her away from her home to safe custody after she requested that there was no need for her to remain at home as she had received threats,” said Omanga.

Kisumu bouncers

Meanwhile, Kisumu bouncers have threatened to raid Masebula village in Busia County and arrest people they claim masterminded the killing of the six.

The six - Phillip Kwach, William Omondi, Evans Onyango, Richard Odero, David Okeyo and Elvis Odoyo - were lynched by a mob at Masebula village, where they were attending the funeral of their brother-in-law, Johannes Okoth.

They had been suspected of being part of the gang that killed Okoth, a businessman in Bumala, a fortnight earlier.

The bouncers addressed the press yesterday, claiming those who killed their colleagues were well known. They gave police seven days to apprehend the suspects or they take the law into their hands.

Led by their association patron and Market Milimani MCA Seth Kanga, Welfare representative Edga Ochieng’ and Migosi Ward MCA Victor Rodgers, the bouncers said they had inside sources in Masebula, and that they would smoke out the suspects and hand them over to police.