A young man was slaughtered in a rented room in Kalene-Tigania in Meru county.
Residents said they found the body of the boy lying in a pool of blood in his room. It is alleged that the boy worked at a local hotel and a neighbor used to leave his motorcycle with the boy for the night. When robbers came to steal it, they slaughtered the boy.
A resident demanded that the government enforces the curfew and the arrest of the perpetrators. He encouraged residents to ensure that the perpetrators are identified, as there is a small Miraa market that is known to attract visitors.
“It’s unfortunate that the boy was killed when the police station was just half a meter away from the crime scene. There must have been a lot of screams.
“According to the locals, the boy was killed during the day, implying that the suspect is still on the loose. Wherever the perpetrator goes, we hope he is killed in an accident. If he does not die, he will be assassinated by a mob,” he said.
Another resident requested the government to install roadblocks to ensure motorcycle riders are inspected in the wee hours of the night. He said that despite the fact that the curfew is in effect, motorcycles can be heard at 3 a.m. He blamed the police for taking too long to respond when an incident occurs.
Another resident said that the murder of the boy occurred as a result of the motorcycle theft. She said that insecurity cases in Karama-Antuanduru were on the rise and claimed that even though screams are heard when a motorcycle is stolen, the police are unconcerned and only act after an incident.
A government official said that he arranged a meeting at Kalelene with bodaboda operators and Kathethene residents. He encouraged residents to turn out in large numbers to address issues concerning insecurity in the area.
“We did a mass motorcycle registration exercise last week, and we believe the suspects were those who had never registered. These are the motorcycles used to ferry thieves.
“The registration was conducted at the chief’s office, and those who did not register were required to do so at the OCS office. Motorcycles that are not registered in the area will not be allowed.
“During the night, there are motorcycles used to transport Miraa or Milk. We’ll make sure we keep track of them because thieves take advantage of the loophole to commit crimes. Residents are urged to be cautious.
