A quiet village in Murang'a County was plunged into horror on Monday after a 54-year-old man allegedly beheaded a three-year-old boy before being hunted down and lynched by an enraged mob.
The gruesome incident occurred in Mumbu village in Kigumo Constituency, leaving residents in shock and raising questions about whether the child was targeted for ritual purposes.
The suspect, identified as Joseph Kimani, allegedly lured Ian Ndung'u into his house.
A toddler's body is moved from where he was beheaded in Mumbu village, Murang'a County.
Photo credit: Mwangi Muiruri | Nation Media Group
Moments later, screams pierced the air from the house, and according to Kigumo Sub-County Police Commander Hassan Bashir, relatives who rushed to the house found blood streaming from inside.
“The family forced the door open and the man dashed out. Inside, they found the boy's head completely severed from the body and his chest split open," Mr Bashir said.
As word of the killing spread, furious villagers gave chase. Kimani fled to neighbouring Kandani village but the mob caught up with him and beat him to death.
Members of the public at the scene where a toddler was beheaded in Mumbu village, Murang'a County.
Photo credit: Mwangi Muiruri | Nation Media Group
Police condemned the lynching, saying no one has the right to take the law into their own hands.
“As a security department, we do not encourage the killing of suspects. They should be apprehended and handed over to the police. If we establish those involved in the lynching, they will be arrested and charged,” Mr Bashir said.
"It is a big dilemma and we are short of words," he added.
Ian's uncle, Peter Kibandi, said residents were horrified by what they found inside the house.
The discovery of a pot of boiling water inside the suspect's house has fuelled fears that the child may have been killed for ritual purposes.
Members of the public at the scene where a toddler was beheaded in Mumbu village, Murang'a County.
Photo credit: Mwangi Muiruri | Nation Media Group
Village elder Stephen Waweru said the suspect had spent much of his adult life in and out of prison on allegations of rape and assault.
He said Kimani once attacked him with a machete after accusing him of harassing his neighbours over an unpaid debt.
“He chased me and cut me several times. Had I not run faster than him, he would have killed me,” the pastor said.
The pastor urged authorities to intensify the fight against drug abuse and the proliferation of illicit alcohol outlets, saying many residents were battling mental health challenges linked to substance abuse.
"We have a society where people can freely access narcotics and illicit brews. The child did not deserve to die, and the suspect might still be alive had we addressed these problems earlier," he said.
Members of the public at the scene where a toddler was beheaded in Mumbu village, Murang'a County.
Photo credit: Mwangi Muiruri | Nation Media Group
The double tragedy has left Mumbu Village in mourning, with two funerals now expected to take place in homesteads barely 50 metres apart.
The bodies of both the child and the suspect were moved to Murang'a Level Five Hospital mortuary for post-mortem examinations as police continue with investigations.
