Mysterious South Nyanza gang that kills cattle but steals nothing

For the past month, livestock farmers in parts of Homa Bay and Migori counties have been living in fear as an armed gang raided homes and killed livestock.

The gang, armed with crude weapons, targets cows and bulls that are kept in the open, maiming and killing them in the night.

The criminals, who operate in Homa Bay, Migori and Kisumu counties, according to investigators, are suspected to be working in groups.

Police are yet to unravel the mystery attacks that have left farmers with huge financial losses.

The criminals invade homesteads where livestock spend the night in the open.

They pierce the bellies of the animals, one after another, to expose their intestines and leave them for dead.

Surprisingly, livestock owners report that, save for barking dogs, they never hear any commotion during the attacks, only waking up in the morning to find the animals dead.

Distressed farmers were yet to establish the exact motive of the attacks.

The attackers do not steal anything, only leaving a trail of maimed and butchered animals in multiple homes.

Maimed animals are left to die a painful slow death, bleeding profusely as owners watch helplessly.

Homa Bay has witnessed three such incidents and not even public barazas convened by chiefs and deputy county commissioners in affected villages have helped to slow down the criminals.

Last week, the gang struck again in Sakwa, Migori County, butchering several animals.

In Homa Bay, the attacks started in Waondo in Mbita sub-county in November before the criminals moved to Kologi in Ndhiwa sub-county.

They then moved to Kanyabala in Homa Bay sub-county, unleashing terror on farms.

In the latest incident, residents of Central Kanyabala decided to retaliate by burning down the house of a suspected member of the criminal gang.

This is after six cattle were killed on December 16 in Got Kopiyo and Kobwana villages.

Residents woke up to find their animals bearing serious wounds on their bellies.

Ms Eucabeth Aoko said she found her only cow stabbed with its intestines hanging out.

"I was planning to go to the farm when one of my grandchildren alerted me that blood was oozing from the belly of my cow. It dawned on me that the gang had paid me a visit because we had heard about them in the news," she said.

The farmer said the animal’s milk was her main source of income.

Her neighbour, Pamela Atieno, a widow, also lost two cows in the attacks.

She depended on the animals to pay school fees for her orphaned grandchildren.

Veterinary officers who examined the animals said some of them had their internal organs wounded.

Following the incident, unknown people torched the house of a resident whose wife and son are accused of being members of the gang.

It was not clear how many animals had died in the attacks, with some farmers resorting to slaughtering their livestock, including those that were still alive for fear of further attacks.

But official police records show that more than 70 cattle have died at the hands of the gang, with more than 150 injured.

Residents claim the gang is associated with a cult.

Mr Jeremiah Otengo claimed the group was involved in “devil-worshipping”.

“We have been hearing stories of people in need of blood for cult activities. This gang could include such people,” he claimed.

A week before the incident, the gang raided homes in 10 villages in Kologi in Ndhiwa sub-county and killed 18 cattle and injured more than 100.

Residents in the affected villages are still living in fear that the criminals might strike again and kill whoever they come across.

A security operation in South Kanyamwa and North East Kanyamwa locations led to the arrests of two main suspects.

Police also confiscated sharp weapons suspected to have been used in killing the animals. They included two spears and four machetes.

Preliminary investigations have revealed that the gang operates in Homa Bay, Migori and parts of Kisumu counties.

Homa Bay County Commissioner Moses Lilan said police were following other crucial leads and urged residents in the affected areas to cooperate with investigators.

"We are treating this matter as a criminal offence. We have so far arrested two people and hope that they will lead us to the rest of the gang members," he said.

[email protected]