Shock and grief have gripped Mitoto Village in Sango Ward, Likuyani Constituency, after a 62-year-old man was brutally killed by unknown assailants in an attack suspected to be linked to a long-running land dispute.
The deceased, identified as Wainaina Shadrack, was attacked at his home at around midnight on Monday, according to his wife, Zabenza Toto Wainaina.
Zabenza said the attackers used a large stone to break down the door before storming into the house and repeatedly cutting her husband on the head, forehead and hand.
“They locked the doors of two young men and a grandchild from outside before entering our house,” she told WKT.
Upon realizing that the attackers had entered the house, Zabenza said she escaped through a window while screaming for help.
However, her attempt to flee turned tragic after she slipped and fell into a pit estimated to be nearly 10 feet deep, sustaining serious injuries, including a suspected spinal injury.
She said she remained trapped in the pit, crying for help until a neighbour responded and helped pull her out. She was subsequently rushed to hospital for treatment.
By the time Zabenza was taken to hospital, her husband had already died from the attack. She said she was not informed of his death until she regained consciousness at around 9 a.m.
The family believes the killing could be connected to a long-running dispute over a four-acre piece of land. They said Wainaina was scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday in connection with the land dispute before he was killed.
The family is now appealing to the government and security agencies to expedite investigations, identify and arrest those behind the attack and ensure that they face justice.
The circumstances surrounding the killing remain under investigation. Wainaina’s body has since been moved to Likuyani Mortuary as the family makes arrangements for his burial.