Police in Baringo have detained a man suspected to have chopped off a girl's neck, killing her on the spot on Wednesday.
Residents of Kaptalam village in Seretunin, Baringo Central, are still in shock after the assailant, Thomas Kiplagat alias Kipsotok, 25, killed Rachael Jelimo Chepkwony, 17, a Form 2 student at Seretunin Mixed Day Secondary School.
"The girl had just returned home that morning from school after she was sent to collect school fees before meeting her untimely death," Seretunin chief Patrick Kiprop said on Friday.
He said the suspect, who is married with two kids and shares a fence with the family, was caught by the girl trying to break into their store to steal a sack of beans.
"So it is you who has been stealing our beans all this time," the girl asked the man, who hurriedly raised a sharp machete, chopping off the girl's hands before slashing her neck.
Kiprop said the girl's mother who had left home to attend to daily chores in a nearby farm suddenly heard her daughter screaming for help and rushed to find out what was happening.
"But unfortunately it was too late as she found her lifeless body lying in a pool of blood" the local administrator said.
Kiprop said after committing the heinous act, the suspect escaped leaving behind one shoe.
The culprit was later on Thursday evening apprehended by the residents of Sogon village, near Talai Baringo South, located around 10km away from the scene.
Upon his arrest, the residents were shocked to find two small tortoises in the man's pockets alongside the sharp panga which he is suspected to have used to kill the girl.
Baringo Central subcounty police commander Christine Kola confirmed the incident, saying the suspect was on the run before the residents spotted and helped arrest him.
She said the suspect is currently held in Kabarnet police station and would be arraigned in court as soon as police officers are through with investigations.
Kola appealed to the citizens to be reporting any incidents of theft to the authorities in time for action to be taken early to avoid such grievous offences.
(edited by Amol Awuor)
