Man kills three-year-old niece, hacks mother in Nyandarua

Policemen escort Joel Gachao to a Police van on June 28, 2018 after he killed the daughter of his sister and seriously injured his mother before attempting to commit suicide. [Photo: John Ndungu]

Police in Nyandarua are holding a 27-year-old man suspected of killing his three-year-old niece and assaulting his mother.

The suspect was said to have travelled from Nairobi to his home in Kieni village, where he attacked his mother before killing his niece with a machete yesterday morning.

“He has been living in Nairobi and came home this morning," said the suspect's father.

The older man said he going to work when he saw his son.

"I was on a boda boda, when he saw me and he shouted that all was not well. I decided to turn back and find out what was wrong,” he said.

He said he found his wife and granddaughter lying in a pool of blood.

“They were unconscious. I suspected that they had been attacked by my son who had sounded disturbed earlier. I did not find him at home," he said.

The victims were taken to JM Kariuki Hospital, where the child was pronounced dead.

The suspect was later tracked to a dam, where residents claimed he had gone to try to commit suicide.

Pronounced dead

“We saw him standing at the dam. His clothes were covered in fresh blood. This prompted us to call the police,” said Joseph Kariuki, a resident.

Nyandarua County Commissioner Boaz Cheruiyot said police had found the murder weapon.

“The suspect was said to have quarrelled with his mother over domestic affairs before he picked up a panga and cut her several times on the head, inflicting serious injuries. His niece heard her grandmother's screams and rushed to the scene, and was cut on the head,” said Mr Cheruiyot.