Irate members of the public Friday, July 11 morning set ablaze houses and flattened crops belonging to the family of a man suspected to be behind a series of killings targeting young girls in Gem constituency.
According to the police, the irate mob, said to be from Bar Kalare area where one of the suspect’s victim hails from, raided the home at around 11 am today and burnt down the houses belonging to the brother of the murder suspect, his uncle’s and that of his mother.
Gem Yala police said that the previous evening, another group raided the home, situated at Kanyibuop village in Marenyo sublocation and partially burnt the house of Akinyi Odhiambo Otami, the mother to the suspect who is connected to the recent killings of a girl whose dismembered body parts were found in different locations, among them a bar at Sagam trading centre.
The incident comes amid calls by leaders from Gem constituency, among them area member of parliament, Elisha Odhiambo and Siaya member of the national assembly, Dr. Christine Ombaka for urgent deployment of special forces to track down and bring to book members of a murderous gang that seem to operate with impunity in the area.
According to the Gem member of parliament, Elisha Odhiambo the inspector general of police has to urgently dispatch a special team to help unravel frequent murders targeting young girls in the area.
The legislator said it was worrying that the number of innocent girls and members of the public falling victims to either a serial killer or members of a gang, keeps on rising with the police appearing helpless.
Addressing the media last evening at Mutumbu in Gem Yala sub county, Odhiambo lamented that the latest victims of unresolved murders were Veronica Odongo, a widow and Elizabeth Achieng, a form two student from East Gem location who were murdered five days ago.
Two months ago, two other school girls were murdered at Mindhine and Muhanda areas.
“We cannot continue this way” said the MP adding “I am appealing to all of us to volunteer information that can help us protect the public”.
The legislator said that the special crimes prevention unit should be dispatched urgently to Sagam, Sinaga and East Gem areas where, he added, criminals seem be having a field day.
He said that he had met the top security officials in Siaya County and agreed to rope in the special units from the directorate of criminal investigations.
Odhiambo warned those behind insecurity in the constituency that their days are numbered.
The legislator at the same time called on the police in Gem to up their game and concentrate on the key mandate of securing the lives of citizens.
He lamented that the area police were concentrating too much on chasing illicit brews, forgetting other critical duties that touch on the lives of the citizens.
Siaya women representative, Dr. Christine Ombaka also demanded the deployment of a special police unit, saying that the trend where young girls and women were being victims of the serial killer was worrying.
Last week, residents of Marenyo sub location woke to a rude shock when two human arms were discovered in neighbouring villages.
One arm was discovered inside a bar at Sagam trading centre in Sagam village while another was found in the neighbouring Kachola village.
The incident came barely two months after a form four student was defiled and killed in Mindhine village within the same sublocation while another school age going girl was also murdered at Muhanda village.
Written by Marium Goretty
