Four out of sixteen individuals accused of the brutal murder of four elderly women in Nyagonyi village, Marani Sub-County, on October 17, 2021, have been convicted of murder.
Among those found guilty are a father and his son.
The convicted individuals are Amos Nyakundi Ondieki (the first accused), Chrispin Makworo Ogeto (the second accused), Evans Ogeto Okari, Chrispin’s father (the eleventh accused), and Hesborn Ong’ondi Gichana (the seventh accused).
They were among a group of sixteen suspects charged with the murders, but only these four were convicted on charges related to the deaths of the elderly women.
The victims Sindege Mayaka, Rael Sigara, Agnes Moraa, and Jemimah Nyang’ate were brutally murdered in broad daylight after being falsely accused of witchcraft.
In a virtual ruling, Justice Waweru Kiarie stated that the evidence presented during the trial clearly proved the guilt of the four men.
However, the court ruled there was not enough evidence to link the remaining twelve suspects to the murders, leading to their acquittal.
A sentencing hearing is scheduled for January 22, 2025, when a pre-sentence report will be prepared for the convicted men.
Following the killings, Kisii County Governor James Ongwae established a 14-member task force to investigate the prevalence of witchcraft accusations and their links to extrajudicial killings.
The task force was tasked with examining the targeting of the elderly, security issues surrounding such accusations, and the underlying socioeconomic factors driving the involvement of youth in such crimes.
While the initiative was launched with optimism, Governor Ongwae hoped that the findings would help inform strategies to combat these killings.
However, there have been no updates on the task force’s findings, raising questions about the impact of the investigation and the future of its recommendations.
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