Fresh details have emerged in the brutal killing of a woman in Kangonya sub-location, Ugenya, Siaya County, where police are now closing in on the prime suspect believed to have fled into hiding among fellow tribesmen.
The deceased, a mother whose body was discovered stuffed in a sack and buried in a shallow grave behind her kitchen, is said to have been living with a male employee described as her gardener. Investigations have now revealed that the man hails from Uganda and is possibly hiding among compatriots working as herders in a nearby sub-location.
According to preliminary police reports, detectives believe a dispute over delayed salary payments may have escalated into a fatal confrontation that ended with the woman’s gruesome death.
A Shocking Discovery
The alarm was first raised by the deceased’s son, who, after failing to trace his mother, returned home with locals to continue the search. Their efforts led to the discovery of a freshly dug grave in the family’s kitchen garden. With the help of neighbours, the young man unearthed the shallow grave and stumbled upon a sack containing his mother’s body.
The scene was horrifying: the woman had been slaughtered, her body crudely buried alongside personal items including slippers and a jembe believed to belong to the suspect.
Kangonya Assistant Chief Eric Ochieng confirmed the discovery, noting that the suspect’s mobile phone has remained unreachable since the incident. “The gardener could not be reached on phone after the killing. We suspect he fled and sought refuge among other Ugandan herders who operate in a nearby area,” Ochieng said.
Identity and Security Gaps
Investigations point to a larger problem: the employment of undocumented workers within local households. The suspect, believed to be a Ugandan national, reportedly took advantage of the laxity of some residents who fail to submit details of their domestic workers to local administrators.
Assistant County Commissioner Ann Ojwando said that while authorities have repeatedly asked employers to provide proper identification details for household staff, compliance has been low. “When such documents are not provided, tracing suspects in cases like this becomes extremely difficult,” she explained.
Motive and Manhunt
Detectives now say the strongest lead is that the killing was triggered by a heated dispute over unpaid wages. Police sources disclosed that the suspect may have felt frustrated after months of work without remuneration, leading to the fatal altercation.
Siaya County police officers have since intensified surveillance in border regions and pastoralist areas, with intelligence reports indicating the suspect has been shielded by fellow tribesmen who earn their living herding livestock.
Broader Security Concerns
Local administrators have issued fresh warnings against the unchecked recruitment of foreigners without official clearance. “Every employer must ensure they have the identification documents of the workers they take in,” Chief Ochieng emphasized. “Otherwise, when tragedy strikes, tracking becomes almost impossible.”
The murder has sparked renewed calls for tighter enforcement of vetting procedures, with security experts warning that the growing informal hiring of undocumented foreign workers poses a serious security risk to rural communities.
As the hunt for the fugitive intensifies, the family of the slain woman is left grappling with shock and grief, demanding justice for their loved one whose life was cut short in the very compound she called home.
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