• The officers searched the neighbourhood and traced some blood stains outside the house of one Mulwa Kivundui.
• The body was moved to Mwingi Level 4 Hospital mortuary as investigations continue.
Image: LINAH MUSANGI
Residents of Mangoloma in Mwingi Central, Kitui, on Tuesday, woke up to the shocking murder of a man said to be a troublemaker.
His body was found in a ditch along Mangoloma River. He was identified as 42-year-old Francis Mutisya Kitondu. His two righthand fingers were chopped off. It was sighted by Margaret Mutinda, who was heading to a nearby shopping centre.
When Mwingi police, including DCI officers, visited the scene upon getting informed. The body had visible injuries, apparently inflicted with a blunt object, cuts in the right foot. The missing fingers were found about 10 metres from the body.
The officers searched the neighbourhood and traced some blood stains outside the house of one Mulwa Kivundui, who, according to them, did not give a logical explanation. He was arrested, pending interrogation by the DCI.
The body was moved to Mwingi Level 4 Hospital mortuary as investigations continue. Residents who identified the man said he came from the neighbouring village and was a troublemaker.
Veronica Muasya, who identified herself as his cousin, said the man was very violent and always picked quarrels with every family member. Veronica said that on Sunday evening as she was seated outside her house, she saw Kitondu and two other men come from the bush armed with bows and arrows.
Her sister told her to run to the house as they would harm her. “I did not understand why my cousin would harm me as we had not even quarrelled,” Muasya said.
She said one of the men told Kitondu, the deceased, not to hurt her as she was his cousin.
“Francis immediately apologised but told me that he must kill one of our neighbours and burn his brother’s house,” Muasya said, adding that she pleaded with them to stop their mission but they could hear none of it as they left her compound.
Kasyoka Muthui, his aunt, said Kitondu always caused trouble for his family members. She narrated that on Sunday, he destroyed his elder brother’s new house by breaking all doors and windows.
Family members did not understand why he did so. He had vanished as they sought to have him explain. Later at night, a house belonging to his other brother was torched.
Kasyoka said it was suspected that he had set it ablaze and family members reported the incident to Mwingi police station.
“We did not see him again as he vanished after the two incidents,” Kasyoka said.
On Tuesday morning, she received a call from her daughter informing her that his body had been found dead in the neighbouring village.
“I quickly took a boda boda and arrived at the said scene and I verified that it was indeed his body,” Kasyoka said.
It was also revealed that the deceased was a karate maniac and severely beat his mother, angering family and community.
“Francis disliked the fact that his mother was very close to one of his brothers who worked in Garissa, the one whose house he broke windows and doors,” Kasyoka said.