Kilifi,KENYA:Police in Kilifi say they have launched intensive investigations into the killings of three elderly people in Dera in the outskirts of Kilifi.
The incident took place on Tuesday early this week on allegations that they had bewitched a young man who drowned on the wee hours of Monday morning.
Speaking to Baraka fm on Friday, Kilifi police boss Alexander Makau said a team drawn from the Kilifi County multiagency team has been dispatched to the area for a possible arrest of the perpetrators.
“It is true, we have lost four people in a span of two days. This is due to a young man who drowned on Monday when he went to wash his motorcycle at Kashuru dam but his colleagues claimed the elders had a hand in his death. So they decided to kill them,” Makau said.
The OCPD said the crackdown is aimed at protecting other three people who are also enlisted by the Bodaboda operators to be among the three dead.
He said the police will not hesitate to arrest anyone who will be in one way or the other suspected to have participated in the evil act.
“We are in control of the situation at the moment,” the OCPD added.
“The youths had enlisted seven people for elimination on Tuesday but our quick response saved the situation. We have three people whom we rescued and currently at the police station,” he said.
Witnesses and villagers said the boda boda operators were angry after one of their colleagues died under mysterious circumstances, hours before he was to go for a traditional marriage ceremony in the village.
The three victims are said to be Kahindi Silaumu 65, Pola Tete 58 and Kamali Dulo 60, while the boda boda operator who drowned was identified as Khamis Kadondo aged 22 years.
Kibarani Member of County Assembly Gertrude Mbeyu condemned the act in her message of condolence to the bereaved.
“What happened is really bad and unlawful and the perpetrators must face the law,” said Mbeyu.
“My condolences to the families of the bereaved,” she added.
Elderly killings on allegations of witchcraft in the county have been unwavering.
Police records at the county police headquarters state that over 100 elders were killed in the year 2016 and the number has kept on increasing.
