Detectives in Kisii County have launched investigations into the brutal killing of a boda boda rider who was allegedly targeted for threatening to expose a group of suspected burglars in the Isana area.
Peter Motari, 54, who also worked as a night security guard, had reportedly vowed to report three men believed to be behind a wave of burglaries in the neighbourhood. According to friends and relatives, Motari had become increasingly concerned about the rising insecurity and felt compelled to alert local authorities.
Police say the suspects learned of his intentions and ambushed him on November 18, 2025. Motari was tortured and killed inside a house within the area before the assailants fled. The woman who owns the house where the killing took place has since reported the incident to the police.
Officers who visited the scene confirmed that the deceased had severe head injuries, indicating a violent attack. His body was moved to the mortuary, where an autopsy is expected to guide further investigations.
The killing has sparked outrage among residents, who accuse criminal gangs and vigilante groups of operating with impunity. Similar murder cases have been reported in the past, with some remaining unsolved despite public outcry. Locals are now demanding swift justice and better security measures to curb rising crime.
Police have previously arrested and charged several individuals linked to vigilante-style killings and burglaries in the wider Kisii region. However, residents say more needs to be done to dismantle organised gangs.
Meanwhile, authorities in Turkana are probing a separate incident where a man identified as Solomon Okech was found dead between two parked vehicles at the Turkana County headquarters. Okech, an officer from the Ministry of Cooperative and Micro Small Enterprise, had travelled from Nairobi with colleagues for a capacity-building programme.
His body has also been taken to the mortuary pending an autopsy as investigations continue.
