Worry over surge in homicides in Meru

Meru County has seen a gradual surge in the number of murder cases reported monthly, recording 34 fresh ones since January.

Principal Prosecution Counsel Celestine Matere told the taskforce reviewing laws on the power of mercy that murder has become prevalent, with Nyambene and Imenti South recording the highest number of cases. 

While noting the need to review the requirement for a convict to petition for release under the power of mercy after serving five years, Ms Matere said the pardon could trigger hostility.

“The period should be reviewed upwards since five years is a short period and does not cure the societal problem facing this region,” she told taskforce chief, Dr Lydia Muriuki, at Kinoru Stadium.

Ms Marete recommended creation of public awareness on the power of mercy to prevent such hostilities.

The office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) wants victims involved in the petition for release under power of mercy.

Courts overwhelmed

The cases did not include manslaughter or suspicious deaths that ended up in public inquests.

Homicide cases have dominated the Meru Law Courts, with 10 to 15 of murder and at least 10 of manslaughter recorded at the registry.

So overwhelming are the cases that a judge from Marsabit sometimes goes to the county to hear them.

In addition, the Embu High Court handles an average of 30 murder cases annually.

Last August, the Meru criminal court which had only three judges, had a backlog of 435 murder cases, which were eased by four visiting judges who were allocated appeals and other short cases.

Land disputes

Njuri Ncheke Deputy Secretary-General Benjamin Mugambi said the Council of Elders is worried and wants to play a key role in stemming the vice.

Mr Mugambi said the cases resulted from fights over land and other property, with relatives ganging up against their kin in order to benefit from their shares of inheritances.

He said most of the victims used to be men but women were now being targeted for elimination to cut them off from inheriting land.

Last year, former Meru Resident Judge Alfred Mabeya said the majority of the murder cases arose from conflicts over land ownership.

“The delay in undertaking the process of land adjudication and having titles issued in the Igembe area has been a cause of heightened and incessant land disputes that have sometimes ended in fatalities,” he observed.

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