Man held over killing, burying his brother

Police at the house where the body of a man who went missing two months ago was found buried. [Denish Ochieng, Standard]

Police in Kisumu have detained a man suspected to have killed his brother and buried him in his bedroom.

The bizarre incident at Kagak village in Nyakach follows a search in the suspect’s house for the deceased, Joseph Ochieng, who went missing two months ago.

According to neighbours, after Ochieng’s sudden disappearance, his brother who shared a house with him refused to divulge any information on the whereabouts of his brother. Yesterday, residents mounted a search in the house and found a decomposing body which was partially concealed in a polythene bag buried in a huge hole in the bedroom.

A number of villagers told The Standard that two brothers had a frosty relationship and always fought after drinking.

Daniel Olweny, a neighbour narrated how they have been trying to locate the deceased in vain after his sudden disappearance. We have been seeing the suspect wearing his missing brother’s  clothes and even shoes, but when questioned about the whereabouts of his sibling, he would refuse to divulge any information. 

“At first we thought that maybe the missing man has been arrested for taking illicit brew or for breaking curfew, but we couldn’t locate him in any police stations,” he noted.

Clifford Ochieng, a friend to the deceased said he last saw him about two months ago before he went missing.

Sharing house

“They were orphans, but they have some two other siblings who are not around. They have been sharing the house for several years,” said Ochieng.

The house the duo shared is located on a cliff with neighbouring homes spread apart making it difficult for neighbors to access it with ease.

Jonathan Ogire, the area chief, told The Standard that they have been trying to locate the missing man for some time until they received reports that he could have been killed.

“The circumstances are still unclear but we have already marked the house as a crime scene,” said Ogire.

County Criminal Investigations Officer Kipkorir Towett confirmed the incident and said investigations into the matter have been launched.

By the time of going to the press, the body of the deceased was yet to be exhumed.