Lamu, KENYA: Police in Lamu town have launched investigations into the murder of a 35-year-old hotelier on Saturday night.
Jackson Mwasi,35, a hotelier in Shella area was leaving work for his home when he was accosted by a machete-wielding gang at Bombay area at around 10 pm and slashed to death.
Speaking in his office on Monday, Lamu county commissioner Gilbert Kitiyo said they were treating the issue with the seriousness it deserved and that police were keenly following up on the murder.
There was drama and grief at the same time on Sunday morning when thousands of non-locals bearing the casket of the deceased took to the streets to protest against increased attacks on them.
They marched to the county commissioner’s office with the hotelier’s body and demanded that the county commissioner assures them of their safety and explain why attacks on non-locals in the town have been on the increase.
But since the county commissioner was not in the office at the time, the demonstrators were instead addressed by the assistant county commissioner Phillip Oloo who assured them that the murder would be probed and that killers would be brought to book.
He also assured them of their security and added that extra measures will be put in place to ensure their grievances are well and promptly addressed.
Kitiyo has in the meantime assured residents of security and pledged that those behind the Saturday murder shall soon be brought to book.
“Police are already making headway and I believe the killers shall be apprehended and charged with the murder real soon.Security has also been improved.However is any member of the public has any other information they feel might be crucial in helping us get to the killers fast enough, then they should feel free to present the same to the police here or my office,” said Kitiyo.
At the same time, police in Lamu have been directed to arrest anyone found walking around with crude weapons including pangas, machetes, knives, rungus and swords in public places.
There is an ongoing ban on crude weapons in public places that was effected in 2015 following increased cases of attacks and killings.
County commissioner Gilbert Kitiyo said many people weren’t adhering to the ban.
Kitiyo said the enforcement of the ban has been enhanced and anyone found shall be promptly arrested and charged so that they can serve as examples for others.
“The ban is still in place but we have now enhanced it.Police will literally walk around looking and checking for persons who carry crude weapons around.It is a punishable crime and we shall ensure so,” said Kitiyo.
