15-year-old arrested over man’s death

By Martin Mutua

A 15-year-old boy has been arrested in Baringo County for allegedly killing his close friend over a Sh30 debt.

The teenager is said to have beaten 22-year-old Kiptoo Rotich to death at Nuregoi village with a piece of wood.

Those who witnessed the incident told The Standard that the suspect met Rotich at a shopping centre and demanded to be paid his money.

A heated argument allegedly ensued with Rotich insisting that he had no cash.

The suspect then reportedly picked a piece of wood and hit his friend severally on the head and chest, killing him on the spot.

Villagers who heard the commotion and the screams rushed to the scene and found Rotich’s body in a pool of blood.

The villagers, baying for the suspect’s blood, cornered him but luckily good Samaritans rescued him and took him to the police station.

Area OCPD Mr Ndung’u wa Ikonya confirmed the incident. Mr Ikonya said the body had no visible injuries and revealed that an inquest into the death had been launched.

“According to the information we received, the deceased had borrowed Sh30 from the suspect but after he failed to pay back, he (suspect) attacked him, killing him on the spot,” said Ikonya.

The police boss urged locals to desist from taking the law into their own hands and instead hand over suspects to law enforcers for interrogation.

Septic tank

Ikonya said the body was moved to Kabarnet District Hospital mortuary to await post-mortem examination. The suspect is in custody and will appear in court today.

Meanwhile, the family of a woman whose decomposed body was discovered in a septic tank in a Nanyuki hotel early this month has accused police of laxity in investigating and apprehending suspects.

The family accused the police of treating the matter casually.

Agnes Wanjiru, 21, a commercial sex worker, went missing on the night of March 31 this year and her body was discovered in the septic tank more than two months later.

Two British Army soldiers allegedly accompanied the deceased to Lions Court Hotel before her disappearance.

Laikipia East OCPD Mr Joshua Lutukai said the body was discovered by one of the hotel employees who was unblocking the sewer.

The OCPD said investigations have been launched, adding that no arrest has been made.

During her burial on Saturday afternoon, Mr Benedict Kimotho, an uncle to the deceased said family members and friends held the hotel and the British Army responsible for the death.

Mr James Maina Mugo, the Executive Co-ordinator of Social Watch Human Rights Organisation added that police were reluctant to apprehend the soldiers, who Wanjiru’s friends claim accompanied her to the hotel.

In April this year, commercial sex workers in Nanyuki threatened to hold demonstrations over police failure to investigate her disappearance.