Tension remains high in Mwingi town, Kitui County, following the discovery of multiple human bodies in a suspected mass grave.
The grim discovery has sparked fears of a serial killer or a criminal syndicate operating in the area.
Detectives on Tuesday arrived at the site in Mwingi town and cordoned off the area as forensic teams embarked on an exhumation exercise amid fears that more bodies could be buried there.
The search was triggered by the discovery of a dismembered body at the site on Monday.
The latest discovery comes barely a month after two other mutilated bodies, belonging to a man and a woman, were found in the same area. The woman’s head was missing.
Residents say police are yet to identify the previous victims, fuelling fears that the killings could be taking place elsewhere before the bodies are dumped in Mwingi.
“There are bodies of people who have been killed and dumped here in our town. It is like people are being murdered elsewhere and their bodies brought here,” said Morris Kinyatta, a resident of Mwingi.
“These incidents have been happening near Kasina Primary School, and as residents we are worried because last month other bodies were also found near the same area,” said another resident, Ndanu Kimanzi.
Kitui Woman Representative Irene Kasalu said the repeated discoveries were alarming and called for swift investigations.
“There is a body there and there are other spots where we do not know whether there are more bodies buried. In the last four weeks, this is the fourth body to be recovered here. These are very disturbing incidents,” stated Kasalu.
“Just the other day we lost a young woman and we still do not know what happened. Apart from the female body that we know about, the other bodies are yet to be identified.”
Police have urged anyone with a missing relative to report to Mwingi Central Police Sub-County headquarters to assist with identification.
“All the bodies are naked and had been buried in separate graves. If anyone has a missing relative, please report to the police,” said Mwingi Central Police Commander Antony Maina.
The four bodies, which were in different stages of decomposition, were moved to the Mwingi General Hospital mortuary awaiting identification and postmortem examinations.
