Kenya: Ritual killing? Embu pupil says he slaughtered cousin, drank blood

Recently, there has been an upsurge in ritualistic murders or allegations of ritual killings in the country. See my previous postings (January 2021, December 2020, November 2020) on suspected and reported cases – although we always have to bear in mind that very likely the number of suspected and discovered ritual murders are only the tip of the iceberg.  

The reason for this apparent increase in the number of ritual murders is not known.

The case reported below has all the characteristics of a ritual murder. However, since the body found had decomposed beyond recognition after remaining in water for weeks, an autopsy will be needed the determine the cause of the victim’s death.

It was reported that three months ago another child had been found dead in the river. 
(webmaster FVDK).

Ritual killing? Embu pupil says he slaughtered cousin, drank blood

Image: The Star

Published: January 15, 2021
By: The Star, Kenya – Reuben Githinji 

In Summary 

• Mutwiri went missing in late December from his home in Kavengero, Mbeere North.

• The suspect and his accomplices lured him as he played at home and took him to the river. 

A Embu boy, 16, led police in the search and recovery of the body of his four-year-old cousin he allegedly murdered and drank his blood in a suspected ritual sacrifice.  

The Standard 8 pupil on Wednesday led detectives to River Thuci where they recovered the body of Brayden Mutwiri. It had decomposed beyond recognition after remaining in water for weeks. Mutwiri went missing in late December from his home in Kavengero, Mbeere North.

The suspect and one of his accomplices were arrested on Monday and held at Siakago police station. He directed the police to the river where the body was found stuck between two rocks.

Speaking to the press at the scene, their uncle Nephat Nyaga said the suspect narrated how he and his accomplices murdered the boy, drank his blood, then threw his body into the river.

The suspect and his accomplices lured the boy as he played at home and took him to the river. 

Area chief Charles Njeru told the press that the boy mysteriously disappeared from home in late December and residents had been searching for him since.

Njeru said the bereaved family will have to wait for the postmortem result to ascertain that the body is Mutwiri’s.

The local administrator said this was the second incident of a missing child being found dead in the river. The first was a girl who went missing and her body retrieved from the river three months ago.

Njeru cautioned residents against settling their family grudges by attacking and killing children, urging them instead to follow the legal procedures of resolving disputes.

Residents condemned the killing and called for quick investigations so the killers are brought to book.

Purity Muringo said parents from the area now live in fear for the security of their schoolchildren. She said lives are at stake. Muringo called for thorough investigations to unravel the mysterious killings of innocent children.

Source: Ritual killing? Embu pupil says he slaughtered cousin, drank blood

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Police retrieve body of four-year old who went missing

The body of Brayden Mutwiri was retrieved from River Thuci in Embu County. [Standard]

Published: January 14, 2021
By: The Standard, Kenya – Murithi Mugo  

The body of a four-year-old boy from Kavengero in Mbeere North Sub-County, Embu who went missing three weeks ago was yesterday found and retrieved from Thuci River.

The body of Brayden Mutwiri was retrieved after a long search since late December when he went missing.

Nephat Nyaga, uncle to the deceased said a 16-year-old boy is the main suspect.

Nyaga said the boy narrated how, with other accomplices from the area lured the deceased while playing at home and took him to the river where they killed him before dumping his body.

According to Nyaga, the suspects used the boy to commit the crime with a promise of monetary reward.

Source: Police retrieve body of four-year old who went missing