Detectives have arrested two suspects in connection with the deaths of two children in Kisii South Sub-County following an intensive search at the crime scene.
The arrests follow the deaths of the children at Mwankira II Village, Bomakombi Sub-location, Bomorenda Location in Suneka.
Police said relatives of the deceased and community policing members combed the area on Thursday morning and recovered two pairs of open shoes believed to belong to the victims and a maroon undergarment suspected to belong to one of the perpetrators.
The undergarment was recovered from a pit latrine and has been preserved as evidence.
Police arrested the caretaker of the residential plot where the incident occurred and a 14-year-old Grade Nine pupil at Suneka Comprehensive School in connection with the investigation.
Residents of Suneka were left mourning after the bodies of the two PP3 pupils were found in a banana plantation under unclear circumstances, in a case that has shocked the community and sparked calls for justice.
The bodies of the children, aged four and five, were discovered on Thursday morning in Nkura Village, Bomorenda Ward, Bonchari Constituency, after an overnight search by villagers when they failed to return home on Wednesday evening.
Police moved the bodies to a local mortuary, where postmortem examinations are expected to establish the cause of death and aid investigations.
The discovery drew hundreds of residents to the scene, with many expressing disbelief over the deaths of the two young children.
Police said the motive had not been established and that investigations were ongoing to identify any other persons who may have been involved.
Nominated Kisii Senator Essy Okenyuri condemned the killings, describing them as barbaric and inhuman.
Okenyuri said the brutal killing of the two young children had shaken the conscience of the nation and reflected a worrying erosion of society's moral values.
“The tragic news of the brutal killing of two innocent children has left me heartbroken,” she said.
“It is difficult to comprehend how our children, the very embodiment of innocence and our hope for tomorrow, have become victims of such unimaginable cruelty.”
The senator questioned whether society had become desensitised to violence against children, saying the incident should prompt national reflection on the collective responsibility of families, communities and institutions to protect minors.
She conveyed her condolences to the bereaved families, saying no parent should have to endure the pain of losing a child in such horrific circumstances.
Okenyuri called on investigative agencies to conduct thorough investigations, arrest those responsible and ensure they face the full force of the law.
“Every effort must be made to establish the truth, apprehend those responsible and ensure that justice is served without delay,” she said.
She also urged communities to remain vigilant in protecting children and to promptly report any warning signs of abuse or threats to their safety.
