Two students are being questioned in Mathioya in connection with the rape and murder of their schoolmate. The students, a boy and a girl, were the last people to be seen with Milkah Muthoni, 16, on Tuesday.
Her body was found in a thicket near her grandmother Elizabeth Wanjiku’s house. Villagers reported seeing the two walking home from school with Muthoni at 5.30 pm. Muthoni was a form two student at St Philip’s Gikindu Secondary School.
Her family formed a search party when she didn’t return home that evening. Her brother Eliud Kimani said he went to all her friends’ homes, asking her whereabouts before the search began.
“The two friends admitted that they had walked home together as usual but said they did not know where she was,” he said.
Villagers helping in the search first found her school bag, then a trail of blood leading to her body 300 metres from her grandmother’s home. Kamacharia chief Harrison Mwangi said it appeared she was raped before she was murdered. He said her head was bruised, indicating she may have been hit with a blunt object.
Mwangi said she appeared to have been strangled with her school tie as it was around her neck and the body was undressed. Villagers consoling Wanjiku said Muthoni was an obedient girl and an active church member.
“I have lived with her since she was five years old. I am wondering why they did that to her,” Wanjiku said.
She urged the police to ensure the killers are arrested and punished for taking a young and promising life. The two students were locked up at Kiriaini police station for questioning.
Residents said, however, Muthoni was likely killed by youths who hang around smoking bhang.Kamacharia assistant county commissioner Jackson Nambiki urged residents to cooperate with the police to apprehend the killers.
He said police are trying to piece together her last movements.