By Dorothy Musyoka
A 23-year-old male student from Maseno University is in custody for his suspected involvement in a violent robbery and rape of two peers from the same campus.
According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI), the student committed the act on the night of April 14, 2024.
Jacktone Oluoch Owiti was arrested at his house in the Chulaimbo area of Maseno. Authorities found one of the stolen phones from that night in his possession, linking him to the crime.
The incident was reported to the police by a community policing member in the Nyawita area.
The two first-year students, aged 19 and 20, were attacked while sleeping in their shared room at night by two assailants who were armed with a machete and a dagger.
“Kicking the door open and threatening the fear-stricken girls with stabs should they make a murmur, the agents from hell forced themselves on the victims before disappearing with their smartphones,” read DCI’s statement in part.
Fortunately, the victims were rescued and taken to hospital for treatment.
“After making sure that the attackers were out of vicinity, the victims screamed for help where neighbours responded by assisting them to a local hospital for medical attention,” wrote the detectives.
Kisumu West detectives who relentlessly pursued the case, eventually apprehended the first suspect on May 15, who was later presented for identification, DNA sampling conducted and later arraigned.
New leads to his accomplice(s) have since been obtained and the investigators are pursuing them.