Detectives set up camp in Kisii village after killing of five
According to the investigating team, the locals are pointing fingers at outsiders, suggesting that the assailants were hired to carry out the killings.
Detectives are currently stationed in a Kisii village where a mob killed five members of a family, accusing them of involvement in a murder, despite resistance from the local community.
The tragic event, which took place in Metembe village, Masimba Ward in Kisii County, on April 17, 2025, marks the fifth day with no arrests made.
Authorities working on the case report challenges in gathering information due to a lack of cooperation from the villagers.
According to the investigating team, the locals are pointing fingers at outsiders, suggesting that the assailants were hired to carry out the killings.
An autopsy is scheduled to be performed on the victims' bodies to help determine the cause of death and provide a foundation for further investigation.
During the violent attack, the mob also set fire to six houses. The assailants believed the family members were responsible for the death of a middle-aged man found murdered in the area a month prior.
Among the five victims were the parents of the family.
However, two other family members managed to flee the scene. Locals have also pointed out that two members of the family had been previously arrested in connection to the murder but were later released.
This development follows a statement from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, which revealed that there was insufficient evidence to tie the two family members to the earlier murder.
Police say this decision intensified resentment toward the family, ultimately culminating in the brutal mob attack on April 17.
Detectives have since interrogated local administrators to determine how such a coordinated attack could have occurred under their watch.
However, authorities revealed that even these administrators are reluctant to cooperate, fearing retaliation from the same group suspected of orchestrating the killings.
The day after the attack, on April 18, a separate mob returned to the site and demolished what remained of the family's torched homes. Their justification was that they did not want the family associated with the area anymore.
“It’s disturbing that the mob came back and flattened the remaining structures, branding the family as criminals. We are determined to identify and arrest everyone involved,” an official familiar with the investigation told the Star.
The same official expressed uncertainty about the burial plans for the victims, citing the tense atmosphere and hostility from certain members of the community.
Kisii County police commander Ronald Kirui confirmed that investigations are ongoing.
He condemned the lynching, labeling it a criminal act, and emphasized that detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations are actively pursuing those responsible.