Kenya: Five bodies found along Athi River

(SomaliNet) In yet other worrying incidents of killings, bodies of five men with bullet wounds were found at a remote plain in Athi River on Thursday.

According to news sources, the bodies were discovered at 9am at a spot covered by shrubs in the expansive grassland, about seven kilometres from the Mombasa highway.

The sources said four bodies lay about five metres from each other and were hidden in the long grass while another was found 50 metres away, sprawled by a rocky track leading to the Stony Athi shooting range, used by military officers for training.

Meanwhile, initial investigations showed the men were transported there and shot at close range about three hours earlier.

A big part of the plain extending beyond the horizon does not have human settlement and has no activity.

Only trucks transporting soldiers to and from the military base, and a few wild animals can be seen occasionally.

The bodies had bullet wounds in the head, chest and back.
The victims were in their 20s and the oldest was not past his mid-30s.

A security officer, Mr Yusuf Okello, who was riding through the area on a motor bike stumbled on the body by the road and called police.

Police said they received the first call at 9.30am and rushed to the scene.

They found the four other bodies as they delved deeper into the grassland, trying to gather clues that could help in resolving the puzzle.

The crime scene was covered by fresh blood and the first officers to arrive there indicated that the five men could have been shot between 5am and 6am yesterday.

Speaking to journalists at the scene, Machakos District Commissioner John Litunda said security officers in the area had not received reports of missing persons.

“We did not have a report of any robbery or any person missing, so the investigations have started to establish what really happened,” he said.

Mr Okello, who works for the Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) said: “I was riding on the road at about 9am when I spotted the body on the roadside. As I turned to take a short cut through the grassland, I saw two others and initially I thought they were gangsters laying in wait to attack.”

He went on: “I sped to the nearest KPC station and told my bosses about the incident and they asked me to report to the police station.”

In a statement, Police Commissioner Hussein Ali described the killings as “a case of murder”, saying the victims were aged between 25 and 30 years.

Although investigations were still going on, he said: “The murder is as a result of disagreement amongst a criminal gang.”

Documents belonging to two men, one with the surname Nyambura, aged 28 years, and another with the surname Njagi, 25, were found on the bodies of two of the victims. A live bullet was also recovered at the scene.

“However the true identities are not confirmed yet,” said Maj Gen Ali.

“We appeal to any person with information regarding the incident or the identity of the deceased to volunteer information to the nearest police station or CID headquarters,” added the statement signed by police spokesman Eric Kiraithe.

In separate incidents, four gangsters were shot dead by police around the city.

Two were gunned down at Huruma corner at 9pm on Wednesday and home-made pistol loaded with two bullets found on one of them.

“They had initially been arrested after mugging passers-by but were shot after they escaped, engaging the officers in a chase,” said Kasarani division police commander Paul Ruto.

Two others were gunned down yesterday morning by Flying squad officers in Gachie, Kiambu district.

Police also raided a house at Mlango Kubwa at 9pm Wednesday and found a Tokalev pistol with five rounds of ammunition. The owner of the house escaped.-Nation