This archive report was first published on 10 December 2019.
On December 10, 2019, a 23-year-old man in Siaya County was arrested for the brutal murder of his 15-year-old cousin, who was a Form Two student at Sirembe Secondary School.
The suspect had earlier been charged with raping the teenage girl, but had insisted that she was his lover, despite her parents condemning their relationship.
On the day of the murder, the suspect lured the girl into a bush next to her home in Sinderma Village and fatally stabbed her several times with a kitchen knife after she reportedly turned down his advances.
He fled the scene, leaving behind a love note next to the girl's lifeless body, which read: "I was madly in love with you but I had to do this. Till we meet again. I will join you soon."
"I was madly in love with you but I had to do this. Till we meet again. I will join you soon,” said the note, now being kept by the police.
The suspect had earlier been arrested and charged with defiling the deceased, but was out on bond at the time of the murder.
According to Gem Deputy County Commissioner Geoffrey Mayama, the suspect had been warned by the girl's family to end the relationship due to their close familial ties.
"Around 1pm, the family heard one loud scream. They immediately identified the voice and ran outside the compound to check, only to find the body of their child lying in a pool of blood. The killer had fled but he left a note,” said Central Gem Location Chief Barack Oloo.
