Relief for Turbo family as murdered woman’s missing head found
A past photograph of the late Sheila Jepkemboi Kirwa, John Kirwa's wife shared from the family album. She was allegedly beheaded by her side lover last week.
What you need to know:
- The head of the married woman, who was allegedly decapitated by her lover in Turbo, Uasin Gishu county was recovered at the Sosiani River
- Jepkemoi’s husband, Mr John Kirwa, said he knew his wife was having an affair with the suspect
- He said he tried to warn her against the relationship but she did not heed his advice
A family in Turbo is finally set to bury their relative after her missing head was found on a river bank at the weekend.
The head of the married woman, who was allegedly decapitated by her lover in Turbo sub-county, Uasin Gishu County, was recovered on Saturday evening at the Sosiani River.
Villagers had been demanding the missing head of Sheila Jepkemoi Kirwa, a mother of three who was murdered last Monday, and they had vowed not to bury her headless body because it is taboo.
It was a relief when the head was found on Saturday evening in Murgor village, downstream from the Sosiani River.
Divers from Uasin Gishu and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) searched the river for the head and found it on Saturday evening, three kilometres downstream from where the prime suspect had claimed to have dumped it.
Jepkemoi was allegedly hacked to death by her lover in Kibolo village on June 13, after an argument at a drinking den.
Her headless body with stab wounds was found in the bush a few metres from her house in Kapreng village.
"We will now conduct a post-mortem on Tuesday and the family can proceed with burial arrangements. The suspects are still in police custody," said Uasin Gishu Criminal Investigations Officer Peter Kimulwo.
Mr Thomas Boen said the villagers were both relieved and saddened by the recovery of the missing head.
"We applaud the police for their tireless efforts that led to the recovery of the head. As locals, the arrest of the main suspects in the murder is a commendable step in the quest for justice for the slain woman and her family," he said.
Kapreng villagers in Turbo, Uasin Gishu County protesting at Turbo Assistant County Commissioner's office on June 19, 2023. They demanded that a suspect who beheaded his lover in the village reveals where he dumped her head to allow for her burial.
Demos
Last week, Kapreng villagers held a protest at the Turbo sub-county headquarters, demanding that the police produce the missing head and vowing not to bury Jepkemoi's body without it.
The suspect had led police officers to a spot where he claimed to have left the head, but efforts to recover it were unsuccessful by Saturday evening.
Mr Kimulwo said the murder weapon — a knife — and blood-stained clothes were recovered and taken to the government laboratory for forensic analysis.
Widower's pain
Jepkemoi’s husband, Mr John Kirwa, said he knew his wife was having an affair with the suspect. He said he tried to warn her against the relationship but she did not heed his advice, while the suspect threatened to kill him when he confronted him about the affair.
It pains me to remember how she died a painful death at the hands of someone I had warned her about," said Mr Kirwa, lamenting the tragic end to his 15-year marriage.
Mr Kirwa was among the villagers at last week's demonstration who vowed not to bury the body until police recovered the head with the help of the suspect.
"The police must do everything possible to force the suspect to give us the head before the burial. It is taboo for us to bury a headless body," the widower said.
