- The prosecution said it needed more time to consolidate its case against the two suspects.
- The two will appear in court on March 28 for a mention of their case.
Image: ALICE WAITHERA
A case where two people have been arrested in connection to the lynching of two women in Kahuro subcounty, Murang’a county, on suspicion of witch-craft, is yet to take off.
This follows an application by the prosecution to have the two suspects held in police custody for 20 days to give detectives time to complete their investigations.
Robert Wanaina Kamau alias Ishati and Kelvin Kamau Mwangi, are accused of murdering Jane Wambui (75) and Mary Njoki (70) on February 22 this year at Kamikoe village.
The prosecution told senior resident magistrate Eric Musambai that it needed more time to record the statements of witnesses key to the investigations.
The court further heard that the photos taken at the scene of crime were yet to be processed and that the additional time would help the prosecution to consolidate its case.
The magistrate ordered that the suspects to be held in police custody until March 28 when they will appear in court for a mention.
The two will also be taken for a mental assessment at Murang’a Level 5 Hospital to establish whether they are fit to stand trial.
The suspects were arrested on Sunday at Kahuro before being arraigned in court on Monday.
The two elderly women whose homes are only metres apart are said to have been attacked by a gang of villagers at 10.30 pm on accusations that they were witches.
The villagers who were said to be armed with crude weapons frog-matched them to the road before beating them and setting them on fire.
Peter Kibaara, the husband to Njoki, one of the victims said his wife had earlier told him of rumours doing rounds in the village that they planned to weed out witches but laughed the matter off and went on with their daily activities.
The 72-year-old man said they were surprised when the irate men stormed into his home at night while they were relaxing in the kitchen and that there was nothing he could do to save her.
He said the women were undressed before their lives were cut short and that the image will remain etched in his mind.
By the time police officers were getting to the scene, the two had been burnt to death.
His son, Patrick Kuria, said the villagers were suspicious of the fact that the family seemed to be doing well and that the rumours of witchcraft had been rife for a while and had led to the torching of his house in 2002.