Grief has engulfed Gwa Salim village in Gatundu North after a renowned trader was brutally murdered on Tuesday night.
Joseph Njoroge was stabbed to death by unknown attackers who broke into his shop and ransacked it before fleeing with money, phones and goods of unknown amount.
The incident comes barely a week after four men were murdered in cold blood at the neighbouring Gachugi village, while a fifth victim survived with life-threatening injuries.
The four—Patrick Nguku Wambui, Laban Mwathi, Earnest Muigai and Peter Irungu—were hit with a blunt object on their heads and died of excessive bleeding according to the postmortem conducted at General Kago Funeral Home in Thika. Their remains were interred on Wednesday.
Residents who spoke to journalists on Wednesday said they were woken by distress calls in the wee hours of the night, but upon responding they found Njoroge lying in a pool of blood inside his shop with multiple stab wounds on his chest.
“We heard loud wails but at first thought it was drunkards because it has become a norm for them to shout at night. However, the distress calls persisted. When we responded, we found Njoroge’s shop open. He was already dead and his attackers had fled,” said Teresia Waithera, a resident.
The locals termed the deceased as a man of the people and a kind-hearted person who has been extending help to the elderly and the poor in the village by giving them food provisions.
“He has also been giving food items to residents on credit and he never bothers to claim his money. He was loved by everyone in this village,” Waithera said.
Veronica Wangui, the deceased’s niece called on police officers to speed up investigations and bring the culprits to book. “We want justice for my uncle. The criminals who took his life should know no peace,” Wangui said.
The residents decried that cases of insecurity have drastically increased in the villages citing theft of motor vehicles and car batteries, theft of farm produce and livestock.
“In a span of two months, three vehicles have been stolen and 11 others vandalised. The criminals are only after car batteries. Again, theft of livestock and farm produce including arrowroots and bananas has increased. These criminals have wreaked havoc and need to be stopped,” said Rufus Githaiga.
They accused area police and provincial administration officers of dragging their feet in flushing our criminals from the villages and restoring normalcy by assuring the locals of their safety.
Kanjuku Chief Joseph Kanya said the area security apparatus has been notified and that investigations are underway.
Kanya also urged residents to work together with the security officers to restore calm in the villages by providing crucial information that will lead to the arrest and prosecution of criminals.
