Migori residents fearful after missing teacher found murdered

The body of a primary school teacher who had been missing was Sunday found in a thicket in Kakrao Ward, Suna East, Migori County.

Teacher Kevin Owuor reportedly failed to return home after seeing off a friend on Friday evening.

His family reported the matter at Migori Police Station and carried out its own search until Sunday, when students of Kakrao Technical Training Institute stumbled upon the body.

Upper Kakrao assistant chief Wilfred Onyango said Owuor, who taught at a private school in Migori town, was last seen with a neighbour.

"The 31-year-old father of one saw off one of his neighbors on Friday evening but failed to return home," Mr Onyango told Nation on phone.

Killed elsewhere

Mr Onyango said the man may have been killed elsewhere and the body dumped in the thicket, a few metres from his home.

"There was no trace of blood but there were several panga cuts in his head.  We suspect the assailants dumped the body in the thicket next to his home for easy identification, " he said.

The teacher’s mother, Monica Owuor, said she last saw him with that neighbour on Friday evening.

"We reported his issue at both Migori and Uriri police stations.  We later got information that he had been killed. I am devastated since he was my eldest son and the family's breadwinner," Ms Owuor said.

Residents fearful

Following the discovery, residents raised concerns about a machete-wielding gang, which they suspect was behind the murder and the rampant attacks that have taken place during curfew hours.

The bizarre killing comes months after a security guard was murdered in cold blood and goods stolen from a hardware he was manning.

Residents accused law enforcers of failing to conduct patrols during curfew hours to tame runaway insecurity in the area.

"We are living in fear of an imminent  attack by this gang. We have profiled a few suspects and submitted the names to authorities but no action has been taken,” said one Joseph Ooro.

“The officers are not keen on enhancing patrols in the area despite the rising insecurity level.”