The man was arrested after residents reported the matter to the chief. [iStockphoto]

Police in Suba sub-county are holding a 37-year-old man over claims of secretly burying his daughter.

The man allegedly buried his five-year-old daughter at Nyaburu village, Gwassi Central location in Suba.

He allegedly buried the daughter without notifying local administrators, the police or neighbours.

According to the area chief Winnie Boit, the girl died on Thursday night and the man immediately buried her.

"The neighbours and area residents became suspicious after discovering that the girl was missing but her father looked unbothered," Boit said.

The residents reported the matter to the chief who notified the police. "We went to the man's home with police where he admitted that he had secretly buried the child," she added.

Suba sub-county Police Commander Caxton Ndunda said they arrested the man and took him to Magunga Police Station.

Ndunda revealed that preliminary investigations showed that the man had been living with his three children after his wife went back to her parents' home some months ago.

"He has been living with his three children after his wife went back to her parents' home to seek medical care for a chronic condition. There was no other adult at home during the incident apart from the suspect," he said.

Ndunda said they were interrogating the man to establish what killed the child.

"The man is telling us that he buried the child in a very strange manner. We are probing to know what caused the girl's death," he said.

The police boss revealed that they will also interrogate residents in the probe on the matter.