Grief has engulfed Kagio town, Kirinyaga county after 9-year-old grade 3 pupil who went missing on Friday was was found dead on Sunday night.
The girl’s body was found dumped in river Rwamuthambi, with visible signs showing she had been defiled and strangled.
Her mother Caroline Wanjiru said she did not return home on Friday, prompting her to report the matter at Kagio police station.
“I grew worried and informed my neighbour and the matter was informed to the whole of Kagio and yesterday at all local churches including Kagio catholic,” Wanjiku says.
Now, residents are pointing fingers at a trader, who sells milk to Wanjiku. He is accused of buying sweets for the girl, before disappearing with her to an unknown place.
“We went to look for the girl at the man’s rented house but we found the man was not there at around 2am. The man is nowhere to be found till now,” Mary Muthoni says.
“We are lucky because a pipe in Rwamuthambi river had blocked the body, it would have taken many days to see her body,” another resident, Reuben Kihara says.
Kirinyaga West Sub-county police commander Moses Koskei says police have launched investigations into the matter.
“We are looking for the man who is well known to the girl’s mother, detectives are on him.”
