At around 6.30 am on Tuesday, October 28, Wickliffe Okonjo, a boda boda rider in Keiyo Village in Kisumu County, was at his usual base in Achego, preparing to start work when a passerby stopped to tell him about a blood-stained sack lying by the roadside.
“The man told me he had seen a sack with blood in it and asked if we could go and check. When I went to confirm, I was shocked to see a human head inside a paper bag,” Mr Okonjo said.
Startled by the horrifying sight, Mr Okonjo alerted police officers manning Achego Patrol Base, who immediately rushed to the scene along the Achego–Muhoroni Road.
Upon arriving at the scene, the officers confirmed that, indeed, a human head had been dumped in the middle of the road, wrapped in a paper bag.
As police processed the scene, another distress call came in from Keiyo Village, located just a short distance away. A headless body had been discovered lying near a homestead within Songor Sub-location, Tamu Location.
Police quickly rushed to the new scene. They would later discover that besides the missing head, the body also had its private parts severed.
Further investigations would later reveal the identity of the dead as Patrick Okello, a 41-year-old tractor driver originally from Mawego Village in Homa Bay County but residing in Keiyo.
According to residents, Mr Okello was well-known in the area and had lived there for several years with his wife and child.
“I have known Mr Okello for a long time, and he was a good person. For the years I’ve known him, he never had issues with anyone. We don’t understand who would want him dead and even if he had wronged someone, is this the best way to solve problems?” posed Mr Okonjo.
Confirming the incident, Fredrick Ombaka, the Muhoroni Sub-County Police Commander, described the murder as one of the most disturbing and horrific cases his officers have ever handled in the area.
“The body was found near his rented house. Both the head and manhood had been severed,” Mr Ombaka said.
He added that no arrests had been made so far, and the motive behind the heinous killing still remains unclear.
“This is a disturbing case, and investigations are ongoing to establish what happened and bring those responsible to justice,” Mr Ombaka said.
The incident has left residents in fear, with many calling on security agencies to step up patrols and surveillance in the area.
“We have never seen something this horrific. People are scared we don’t know if this was a personal feud or a ritual killing. We just want justice and safety restored,” said John Onyango.
