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Alarm over stabbings and knife attacks in Homa Bay

Police have linked most of the killings to disputes over romantic relationships, with knives being the weapon of choice. 

Photo credit: File | Nation

It is only four days into February, and five people have already lost their lives to knife attacks in Homa Bay County. 

On February 1, 2025, several incidents of knife attacks were reported in Ndhiwa, Suba South and Mbita sub-counties within Homa Bay County.

In Suba South, a 35-year-old man identified as Benson Ondiala was murdered by unknown assailants as he slept in his home.

The incident occurred at Miramba village in the Gwasi West location.

A gang of unknown criminals stormed the house of the deceased and attacked him with knives and other weapons, killing him on the spot.

According to Suba South Police Commander Caxton Ndund, the assailants, whose exact number is yet to be ascertained, broke into Mr Ondiala's house at 3 am on Saturday and stabbed him four times.

"His wife was also in the house at the time of the attack, but she was not injured," said Mr Ndunda.

Officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) summoned the wife to record a statement on the incident. The late Ondiala was a well-known figure in local politics.

In Ndhiwa, police are hunting for two suspects who fled after being linked to the murder of a 28-year-old woman on Saturday morning.

The suspects went into hiding after receiving a tip-off that police were after them. They are wanted on suspicion of stabbing Dorothy Awuor, who died from excessive bleeding.

Awuor was walking home from a nightclub in Ndhiwa Town when she was approached by the men, who stabbed her in the neck for unknown reasons.

Police managed to arrest a suspect who later revealed the identity of the two men who had escaped from their hideout.

Ndhiwa Police Commander John Losia said police were following important leads based on information provided by the suspect's accomplice.

"He has provided our officers with very important information and hopefully we will be able to arrest the fugitives," he said.

The woman's body was later taken to Manyatta Kobodo Mortuary.

In Mbita, a 27-year-old man was stabbed to death by an Asumbi Teachers Training College (TTC) student after a fight broke out between the two over a woman.

The incident took place in Ongogo Tir village on Saturday afternoon.

The deceased, identified as Boas Owino, died when he was rushed to Homa Bay Referral Hospital.

Witnesses said Owino and the suspect had a disagreement over who should be the lover of a Form Four pupil living in the same village.

Both men were said to be in love with the schoolgirl, with whom they had long conversations. 

On Saturday, however, the bitter rivals decided to go for each other's throats.

Ongogo Sub-Location Acting Assistant Chief Tobias On'gwena said the suspect had been arrested and taken to Mbita Police Station.  

Other deaths were reported in Rachuonyo North, where a 20-year-old student at Mawego National Polytechnic was stabbed to death by her boyfriend, who fled the scene.

In a similar incident in Suba, a Seventh Day Church elder, Francis Opiyo, was stabbed to death by his fellow elder for having an illicit love affair with the man's wife.

Police have linked most of the killings in Homa Bay to love triangles. 

County Police Commander Hassan Barua said the incidents were mainly caused by disagreements between lovers. What is also strange is that in almost all the killings, the suspects used knives to carry out the crime.

Mr Barua said the use of a knife as the weapon of choice was due to the fact that it was easy to conceal.

In the case of a church elder who was stabbed to death in a church in Suba South, the suspected killer reportedly hid the knife in a small bag he used to carry his Bible.

No one knew what was in the bag until he pulled it out.

"Knives are easy to carry without being detected, so those who want to harm someone can easily smuggle them to the scene of the crime undetected," explains Mr Barua.