Probe as Kitengela tenant killed in Ksh.1,500 rent dispute

The suspect, identified as Shadrack Sankan Saita, is accused of fatally hitting Maurice Otieno Sande with a hammer inside his house on Friday.

According to neighbours who witnessed the incident, Saita, a house agent, had visited Sande's residence to demand the outstanding rent, triggering a heated argument after the tenant said he did not have the money at the time.

Sande reportedly promised to pay later in the evening, but the agent allegedly left and returned shortly afterwards armed with a hammer, which he used to strike the tenant.

In a subsequent turn of events, the suspect reportedly went to Kitengela Police Station to report that he had been assaulted and injured by the deceased. He was arrested while in the process of filling out a P3 form.

The suspect remains in police custody and is expected to be presented before the Kajiado Law Courts on Monday, where Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officers are expected to seek additional time to complete investigations.

Sande's body was moved to the Kitengela Level 4 Hospital mortuary, where it is awaiting a postmortem examination.

The killing sparked outrage among residents, who questioned how a dispute over Ksh.1,500 in rent arrears could escalate into a fatal confrontation.

Some condemned the use of violence in resolving landlord-tenant disputes, calling for peaceful mechanisms to address disagreements, particularly where tenants face temporary financial difficulties.