The head of the Kitui woman who had reportedly gone missing after she was murdered in the wee hours of Monday morning has been recovered.
Margaret Kavisa John’s head was recovered and her killer who turned out to be her cousin lynched by irate members of the public at Kasavini village in Mwingi Central on Monday.
Eastern regional police commander Joseph Ole Napeiyan said the incident was reported to Mwingi police station as a follow-up report of murder, recovery of the missing human head and mob injustice at 11.47 am.
“Further to earlier murder report, it has been confirmed that members of the public pursued the suspected killer immediately they realized the perpetrator was their village mate and cousin to the deceased,” Napeiyan told the Star by phone hours after the incident.
The police boss said the public managed to arrest the said suspect who was on the run namely Peter Muvea Musili at Thaana Nzau village just before he could cross Tana River into Embu County.
“The mob interrogated him and he led them to Kasavini village in a bush where he had hidden the deceased’s missing head inside a bag (Kiondo). Beside the head was also the killer weapon (machete),” Napeiyan said.
He said the agitated mob subjected the suspect to a thorough beating fatally injuring him.
Both scenes of the double tragedy were visited by police and processed with both the missing head and lynched suspect’s body moved to Mwingi Level 4 hospital mortuary awaiting autopsy.
Napeiyan said DCI Mwingi Central is investigating the incidents and the Case had been amended to Inquest 1 and 2 of 2024 respectfully.
The 48–year–old’s body was found lying by the roadside at Mbagwani village in Kakongo sub-location, Kairungu location of Mwingi Central subcounty early Monday.
“It was reported by an administrator that there was a person believed to have been attacked and appeared killed at Mbagwani village, Kakongo sub-location, Kairungu location, Kiomo division. Both police from Mwingi and DCI teams responded swiftly,” Napeiyan earlier told the Star by phone on Monday morning.
Napeiyan said upon arrival at the scene, the officers found Margaret’s body.
He said the deceased’s body had several sharp cuts that may have been inflicted using a machete.
“The woman’s head was also chopped off and missing,” Napeiyan said.
The police boss said some personal items including a KRA PIN form and travelling bag containing clothing were recovered from the scene and kept as exhibits.
The body was moved to Mwingi level 4 Hospital mortuary for preservation awaiting autopsy.