Kuna hii pia
Members of the public mill at a scene where the body of a boda boda operator was found dumped at Cecilia area in Ichuga, Nyeri County, at the border with Laikipia County on May 31, 2016. Residents have raised concerns over increased murders and bodies dumped in the village and called on security agents to beef more security. (PHOTO: JOB WERU/ STANDARD)
Shock and panic has gripped a village on the Nyeri-Laikipia border following a recent spate of killings.
On Tuesday morning, Ichuga residents found the body of an unidentified man in a thicket at Cecilia within the village.
Locals believe the man was a boda boda operator based at Old Market in Nanyuki. Residents found a mobile phone and his wallet at the scene, which is barely 300 metres from Equator Police Post.
In the last two weeks, two people have been killed and their bodies dumped within a radius of 500 metres. On April 7, area Sub-Chief Martin Githinji Mureithi was shot dead at his home.
Chiefs and their assistants from Nyeri and Laikipia counties and residents of Ichuga village pay their last respects to Ichuga Sub-Chief Mr Martin Githinji Mureithi who was shot dead as he drove into his compound on the evening of April 7 this year. (PHOTO: JOB WERU/ STANDARD).
Early this year, the body of a seven-year-old girl was discovered in a pit latrine in Mung'etho, which is also in Ichuga.
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It was believed that the girl was defiled before being killed. And early this year, a casual labourer beheaded his wife in the full glare of his two school children.
A month later, another resident, a boda boda operator identified only as Ngatia, committed suicide by hanging himself in his rented house.
On May 14, the body of Caroline Wanjiru, 25, was found at a boda boda shed at Equator, about 20 metres from the Nanyuki-Nairobi highway. A boda boda operator, Martin Maina, said the body had bruises on the hands.
Entertainment joint
"The woman was last spotted the previous night at an entertainment joint at Kiambiriria in the company of a man who was said to be her boyfriend, but he was missing by the time the body was discovered," said Mr Maina.
The woman allegedly lived in Nairobi and had gone to visit her parents in Ichuga, just adjacent to the imaginary Equator line, which marks the boundary of Nyeri and Laikipia counties.
The village is situated in Nyeri County, but serves as an extension of Nanyuki town, the headquarters of Laikipia County. It is believed a killer gang is on the prowl in Nyeri and Laikipia counties.
A man who sought anonymity for security reasons told The Standard that in case of any murder, it is police from Naromoru, about 17 kilometres away, who respond, yet Nanyuki Police Station is barely five kilometres away.
"The area should be covered by Nanyuki police station since they are nearby," he said.
Nanyuki boda boda Sacco leader, Patrick Maina, said motorcyclists were the easiest target.
Nyeri village in shock as murder cases rise