A third year Murang’a University student is being held by police for allegedly killing a three year- old boy whose body he helped the police recover from a maize plantation.
The suspect, Festus Wachira Maina is alleged to have picked a quarrel with the mother to the boy prior to the incident before the boy was reported missing.
Murang’a county police commander Mr. Josephat Kinyua confirmed that the suspect led the police to a spot where the remains of boy was dumped in a farm neighbouring Murang’a GK Prisons.
He said preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect was cohabiting with the boy’s mother and on December 5 he took the child with him to where he was living at St. Mary’s estate.
The mother became concerned after the child was not returned to their home and subsequently reported the matter to police.
Kinyua said the student was arrested and after interrogation admitted to have killed the boy following disagreement with his mother whom they have been in relationship for several years.
“The suspect led us to where the body was dumped. The murder probably occurred on Friday night. From the body we could ascertain that the child was hit with a blunt object on the head,” added Kinyua.
The mother is from Nyandarua County and she has been working in Murang’a town where she engaged in a relationship with the university student.
Neighbours who talked to KNA said the student and the woman have been living together like a wife and husband but the suspect had also a rented house near the university.
“Our neighbor informed us that his son was missing after he accompanied her lover on Thursday night and but he failed to bring him back. The two were having disagreements for some time,” said Anne Wanjiku, a neighbor.
Kinyua said they have almost completed investigations and the student will be arraigned in court on Monday charged with murder.
The police commander appealed to students especially those in institutions of higher learning to concentrate on studies and avoid engaging in illicit relationships.
Homicide cases in Murang’a county have been on increase in recent past with abuse of drugs and alcoholism being termed as major contributor to the offences.” There is need for counselling and guidance to our young people at least to know how to handle difficult situations instead of resulting to kill,” Kinyua noted.
By Bernard Munyao
