Kirinyaga: Man arrested for allegedly killing 60-year-old employer, dumping body in well

The man suspected of murdering his 60-year-old employer and dumping her body in a well at Kamugunda village in Gichugu, Kirinyaga County, has been arrested.

According to Mwea East Sub-County Police Commander Stephen Okal, the suspect is being held briefly at Wang'uru Police Station before being transferred to Kianyaga Police Station where he committed the offence. He will be taken to court on Monday.

Okal said the man, who has been hunted by detectives and identified as Victor Kheyali (28), was flushed out from Kiarukungu village in Tebere ward where he had been hiding.

Police officers from Wang'uru Police Station were forced to close the gate after boda boda riders stormed the station demanding his release to lynch him.

"Boda boda riders had stormed the police station demanding his release to lynch him but we told them nobody is allowed to take the law into his own hands. I will hand him over to the Kirinyaga East police boss," Okal said.

The suspect, a man from Western Kenya who had been employed by the family to help in the homestead, had been on the run since Wednesday when 60-year-old Lydia Wathitha Njoka was found murdered.

Wathitha's body, wrapped in a blanket, was retrieved by residents on Wednesday morning after her husband, James Njoka Gitari, arrived home Tuesday night at around 9pm, hooted, but received no response. The couple lives alone as their children are grown up.

Gitari entered the house and found blood stains, prompting him to alert relatives and neighbours. They followed the trail to an unused well where Wathitha's body had been dumped.

According to the deceased's brother, Peter Gacibiri, the family was called by Gitari, informing them that their sister had been killed and dumped in a well.

"It is very sad my sister has been killed by a man she had employed from Western Kenya. She had serious injuries and there was blood even in the house. We want justice," Gacibiri said.

Area MCA for Karumandi Ward, Caroline Muriithi, said the worker had stolen items and agreed to repay, but instead killed his employer when her husband was away.

"Instead of paying the debt, he killed her," Muriithi remarked. 

Relatives added that the worker's identification documents had been left with the employer as security for the stolen chicken and household items.