Police in Murang’a are holding in custody a middle-aged man who is suspected to have killed a six-year-old step son in cold blood.
The incident happened in Kiru village Mathioya.
Charles Githua is believed to have committed the act on Sunday, September 11.
According to the man’s wife Nancy Mumbi, Githua called her requesting to release her two children for him to spend time with them as it has been the routine.
Mumbi said they had separated about a month ago after the man started issuing death threats to her and the children.
She said the deceased was adamant to go to his father but she persuaded him to go.
“He called me Sunday morning and told me he is waiting for the children at the usual place promising to bring them back.
“He has been picking the children on Sundays to go buy them sweets or cakes so I had no reason to worry about their safety,” she said.
The mother, however, said hours later the man called her and the child told him they were in the forest.
“The third time he called me, I heard a child crying at the background. I got worried fearing he might have hurt them.
“He told me he has finally fulfilled my wish which I didn’t understand,” she said.
Later in the evening, Mumbi said, the man brought back only one child and did not disclose where the other child was.
The mother reached out to the family members and residents who embarked on a search mission for the missing child.
His body was found dangling from a tree in the man’s farm on Monday, September 12 in the evening.
“He had bitting marks allover his body and he appeared to have been strangled to death,” she said.
Mathioya OCPD Pauline Mwangi said the officers are interrogating the man to know what transpired.
