Blood over boundaries: Land disputes leave trail of death in Oyugis

Crime Scene/FILE

A simmering land dispute turned deadly in Oyugis, Homa Bay County, after a 37-year-old man was fatally stabbed in a domestic confrontation, police have said.

Kennedy Okoth Dola was found lying lifeless in the compound of his sister-in-law, who has since been arrested as the prime suspect in the April 5 incident.

Police said the deceased had sustained a deep stab wound on the left side of the neck. Preliminary investigations indicate that Dola had gone to the suspect’s home at around 8:00pm, where a confrontation broke out.

According to a relative, the argument escalated into threats before ending in the fatal stabbing. The suspect is said to have fled the scene immediately after the attack but was arrested a day later and detained pending arraignment on a murder charge.

Detectives processing the scene recovered a blood-stained bucket and a recently cleaned kitchen knife believed to have been used in the killing.

Investigations further revealed that the suspect and the deceased had been locked in a long-standing land boundary dispute, which police believe contributed to the deadly altercation.

The body was moved to Rachuonyo County Hospital mortuary for a post-mortem examination.

Migori killing linked to boundary dispute

In a separate incident in Migori County, a man has been arrested after allegedly killing his neighbour following a dispute over a land boundary in Kuria West Sub-county.

The suspect surrendered to Kehancha Police Station on Tuesday morning and reportedly confessed to attacking 50-year-old Marko Wambura with a piece of timber during a confrontation at Kwirambo village.

Police officers who visited the scene found the victim’s body lying in a pool of blood with a severe head injury. The body was moved to Kehancha Sub-County Hospital mortuary as investigations continue.

The suspect remains in custody and is expected to be arraigned in court.

Mystery death in Nairobi, drowning at the Coast

Elsewhere, police in Nairobi are investigating the death of an unidentified man whose body was found by the roadside along Magadi Road.

The body, discovered on Monday evening, had bruises on the legs and no identification documents. It was moved to the mortuary pending an autopsy.

In a separate incident, a 46-year-old man identified as Joseph Obuya drowned while swimming in the Indian Ocean in the Tononoka area.

Police said efforts to retrieve his body were ongoing by Tuesday as investigations into the incident continue.