Police in Homa Bay have arrested two suspects in connection with the murder of a seven-year-old girl in Kochia, Rangwe constituency.
Vivian Akinyi was killed and her body dumped in a thicket at Kagola Kokech village on Sunday.
The body was tied with a rope around the neck to portray that she committed suicide.
She was a pupil at Mariwa Early Education Centre in Rangwe. On Monday afternoon, police arrested the minor’s father and a casual labourer in the village.
The father who inherited her mother is accused after controversies arose when he wanted to walk out of the relationship with Akinyi.
This is after the girl’s eldest brother decided to stop the man from inheriting his mother.
Assistant chief Aloyce Odhiambo said the suspect was reluctant to visit Akinyi’s family after her death even though he was just in the neighbouring location.
“The casual labourer is accused because he used to be close to the child even though they are not relatives,” Odhiambo said.
Speaking to journalists on Monday, the administrator said the minor went missing on Saturday afternoon. She had gone for prayer service at a local church with her mother.
“She mysteriously left the church for an unknown place that afternoon. This prompted her family members to begin looking for her,” he said.
Odhiambo said family members’ efforts to look for the child in the village proved futile and the minor spent Saturday night at an unknown place before her elder brother bumped into her body in the thicket.
She is suspected to have been defiled before being killed, Odhiambo said.
“The girl was killed under mysterious circumstances. We are still assisting police with investigations to enable them to get leads which reveal the main suspect,” he added.
The body was taken to Homa Bay County Hospital mortuary for postmortem. Homa Bay County police commander Esther Seroney said the two were held for interrogation.
“They will be charged if they are found to have been committed the heinous act. We are still grilling them,” she said.
Edited by R.Wamochie