Police in Nyamache sub-county in Kisii county are pursuing culprits who killed four people at Sugubo village in Nyacheki on Saturday over a protracted land dispute.
According to Nyamache Sub-county Police Commander Kipkemboi Kipkulei, two siblings namely James Kerandi Omwenga and his elder brother David Mogire Omwenga had a land dispute which dragged on in court since 2000 after the latter died.
He said Mogire’s sons got a court order in 2020 to evict Kerandi from the land, adding he died on Thursday, March 2, prompting the sons to return to the land to build a house to bury him.
“Mogire’s sons and the police were confronted by irate members of the public who wanted to lynch the deceased’s son Henry Nyarieko,” Kipkulei said, adding they burnt houses and slashed maize.
The Sub-county police boss said Nyarieko was injured, and police rescued and took him to Kisii Teaching and Referral hospital where he is receiving treatment.
He said three workers- Emmanuel Nyakundi, Daniel Nyakwara, and Amos Omwoyo were killed while the body of Dunston Makori was retrieved from the burnt house yesterday and taken to Nyamache sub-county hospital morgue to await an autopsy.
Kipkulei said the assailant fled after the incident and went into a hideout, stressing police have launched a manhunt to nab them to face the law.
“We know the culprits and it is a matter of time before we arrest them. They can run but they cannot escape the police dragnet,” Kipkulei told K24 digital on phone.
The incident comes barely a week after Nyanza Regional Commissioner, Ziporah Mworoa held a meeting with chiefs at Agricultural Training Centre (ATC) in Kisii county and told them to be careful when handling land disputes.
The Commissioner noted land matters in the county were emotive and challenged the Administrators to pro-act to curb conflicts which may arise from the disputes.
“I urge chiefs to handle land matters well to avoid lawlessness and damages to property and concert effort to fight and end illicit brew and drug abuse,” Mworoa said.
