A deep sense of shock and grief has engulfed Wanzalala village in Shinyalu Constituency, Kakamega County, after the killing of a 5-year-old girl in a disturbing incident that also saw a teenage suspect lynched by an angry mob.
According to the victim’s parents, David Kuyanda and Annette Kasiti, the young girl left school in the afternoon, changed out of her uniform, and went to play with friends in the village before she went missing.
The family searched for her for two days before the suspect, a 15-year-old boy, allegedly led them to a nearby sugarcane plantation where the girl’s body was discovered.
Authorities say the suspect was later attacked and killed by a mob shortly after the discovery of the body, in a case that has raised concern over rising incidents of mob justice in rural areas.
The incident has left residents in mourning, with community members calling for stronger protection of children and improved safety mechanisms in villages.
Local administration officials, including the assistant chief of Irobo sub-location, expressed concern that the matter was not initially reported to authorities. The assistant chief noted he only became aware of the case after the suspect had already been killed.
Police have since moved both bodies to Kakamega Referral Hospital Mortuary as investigations into the circumstances surrounding the incident continue.
Authorities have urged residents to avoid taking the law into their own hands and to report such cases to security agencies for proper legal handling.
