Rabai MP faults police for rise in elderly killings

Rabai MP William Kamoti has said police are too slow in investigating the killings of elderly people in Kilifi and have emboldened the perpetrators, as over 20 murders remain unresolved.

The lament comes as newly posted Rabai Deputy County Commissioner Musa Issa asked that all murder cases in the sub-county be investigated.

The sub-county has recorded an increase in elderly killings on witchcraft allegations.

Speaking at a security meeting at Bwagamoyo in Mwawesa ward, Mr Issa said the community must account for every killing.

“All murder cases will remain active until we bring all the perpetrators (to justice). We have to account for every person killed in Rabai regardless of the numbers. We have to look for all the killers,” he said.

Mr Issa said that he had visited a victim’s family with security officers and he was shocked that no young person from the locality was present.

"The scenario at the homestead will raise many questions in any investigator," he said.

He also said that families were not following up on their cases, which he said could suggest they are behind the killings.

"There is no way you have lost your loved one, the case is under investigation, but there is no day as a family you will want to know the progress," he said.

He said he was engaging Rabai elders and religious leaders on the matter.

MP Kamoti accused the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officers in the area of laxity.

He said more than 20 cases remained unresolved.

Bwagamoyo sub-location recorded 18 cases.

"Family members are always arrested even before police officers take the body to the mortuary. But we are demanding results,” he said.

“It cannot happen that from the 18 murders no single person has been arrested and charged in court."

He said locals are afraid of going out for fear of being hacked.

Mr Kamoti said the DCI has failed to explain why no perpetrator has faced legal action.

"We have no faith with the DCI officers in Rabai. They are quick to say that they have arrested some suspects, but arresting is not an issue because the law allows that. We need them in court," he said.

He said plans were underway to set up a police post at Bwagamoyo.

“We need responsible police officers who will help us end the killings,” he said.

Mr Kamoti also said Parliament is working to amend the Witchcraft Act so that victims can get justice.

He warned the community against seeking services from witchdoctors and false intercessors in solving family disputes.

"We do not want to see an innocent person killed because of allegations of witchcraft that cannot be proved anywhere," he said.

Mwawesa MCA Caroline Kalume said many meetings had been held to discuss the plight of the elderly and other target groups in the sub-county but the killings continue while suspects enjoy their freedom in villages.

She cited Kanyumboni, Mwawesa and Vikanjoni as hotspots for elderly killings.

“This is not the first or second meeting. We have convened several meetings to address the matter, but the trends are still the same. Residents are asking why people are being hacked every day with pangas, yet the perpetrators are not arrested and taken to court," she said.

The MCA said the perpetrators are still in the community because the killings follow a similar pattern.

“The style of killing is the same, and the killers boast in the community that they have all the space and time to kill because they are not going to be arrested and charged,” she said.

She called on the police to enhance patrols in the hotspot areas.

She asked the community to name the suspects. “If you hide a perpetrator, next he will come for your neck,” she said.

Rabai Sub County Police Commander Fredrick Abuga said the community is not ready to provide information that would lead to the arrest of the perpetrators.

That, he said, also hampers investigations into the killings.

Immediate family members of the victims are the first suspects, he said.

“It is unfortunate that in a murder incident, the police go to the homestead but find everybody missing. It is because the family members are behind the killings, and they know what transpired,” he said.

“In some cases, a person has been murdered only 10 metres from a person while she was asleep, but she will say she did not hear anything.”

He urged the community to share information with security agencies so as to help prevent killings.

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