Man, 27, arrested in connection with Isaac Juma’s death

 

Isaac Juma waves the Kenyan flag during the Mashujaa Day Celebration at Afraha Stadium in Nakuru on October 10, 2016. [File, Standard]

Police have arrested a 27-year-old man in connection with the death of Harambee Stars and AFC Leopards super fan Isaac Juma.

Juma was hacked to death on Wednesday night, January 26, at his home in Mumias West, Kakamega County.

Police have identified Milton Namatsi as a suspect in Juma's death. He was a neighbour of the deceased.

Namatsi was arrested at his home on Thursday morning, police said.

Juma’s wife, Farida Juma, told The Standard that her spouse was attacked by two panga-wielding men at 9pm on Wednesday.

Police said the attack occurred immediately after Juma had dinner with his family.

“His teenage son, however, managed to cheat death narrowly by escaping to the farm,” the DCI said on Twitter on Thursday, January 27.

Land dispute

Farida claimed her husband was killed over a land dispute, claims that police are investigating.

In April last year, Juma said one of his close family members wanted to grab his two-acre parcel of land, which he’d inherited from his parents.

“Whenever I leave Kakamega for sporting activities, they usually try to transfer the land ownership to their names,” he said at the time.

“I stood my ground and protected my land. Consequently, I’ve received numerous death threats. At one point, those eyeing my land crafted and circulated a rumour claiming I was dead. They’ve done everything possible to try grab and sell my land,” he said.

Juma said that in 2019 while cheering Harambee Stars away from home, his five cows were stolen and sold.

He, however, did not file formal complaints about the threats on his life, or the theft of his cows.

He was the third born in a family of four siblings and is survived by two wives and ten children.

The late Juma was a constant feature on the spectator stands, dancing animatedly, with Harambee Stars or AFC Leopards theme-colours painted all over his body. His choice of painting depended on which of the two teams was on the pitch that day.

On several occasions, he’d carry Kenya’s national flag to the stadium whenever Harambee Stars was playing.

Prior to shifting allegiance to AFC Leopards, Juma was a supporter of Kakamega Homeboyz.

He will be buried at his Ebuyenjere Village home in South Wanga after family completes funeral plans.