Police in Awendo , Migori County, say they have arrested a man that they suspect is a serial killer that dresses like a woman.
It all started at around 1.40 pm on Monday when officers at the Awendo Police Station spotted a passer-by dressed in female attire. They felt something was amiss.
He at first identified himself as Sheila Bichange, but later owned up to being a man and produced an identification card with a photo that resembled his appearance.
The ID card showed that the impersonator’s real name is *James (not his real name) who hails from Homa Bay County.
James alleged that he is an employee of South Nyanza Sugar Company (SONY) and that he owns a business in Awendo town.
Pressed further to explain why he was wearing women's clothes, he told officers that since he was a child, he had always felt that he was a woman.
While he was still at the station, word went around in the sub-county that a person suspected to be behind a recent spate of killings in the area had been arrested.
The police, however, did not avail any proof to support their suspicions that he is a serial killer.
Locals stormed the station
However, angry residents then stormed the police station and requested that they be shown the arrested person.
When the suspect was produced, they started chanting and demanding that the man be handed over to them for “crucifixion”.
The charging crowd threatened to break into the cells to lynch him. Police had to fire 23 rounds of ammunition into the air and another 12 teargas canisters to disperse the rioters who were baying for the man’s blood.
Seven young people – Aloice Otieno, 32, Dan Odhiambo, 33, Mark Odhiambo, 22, Kevin Owino, 23, Richard Ondago,32, Grace Akinyi, 28, and Evans Okoth, 25 – were arrested for being unruly.
“They thronged the police station when they heard that a person who had been dressing like a female had been arrested,” he told the Nation by phone.
“There have been allegations that there is a serial killer who has been disguising himself as a female within this area and so when they heard about it, they were quick to come. We, however, contained them.”
