After months of calm, residents of Matungu, Kakamega County are once again living in fear following the resurgence of attacks, apparently conducted by a gang.
The latest attack came on Wednesday night, which left two night guards at a local trading center dead, with residents saying the guards were killed brutally.
According to witnesses; Jared Opondo and Michael Opata, had their tongues chopped off, eyes gouged out and had numerous wounds inflicted by sharp objects.
The guards reportedly met their deaths when they tried to stop a gang from leaving with cows they had stolen from a home in the area.
The incident was confirmed by County Police Commander Bernard Muli, who visited the scene with his Criminal Investigations Department (DCI) counterpart Peter Kimulwa on Thursday.
The Police boss said one of the suspected gang members was shot by the police on the same night, while another one was lynched by irate villagers in Butula, after being found by five of the stolen cows.
“We had received reports of cows that had been stolen is several areas. We have reasons to believe these attacks are being perpetuated by the same criminal gang. They must be the same people who killed the two watchmen,” said Muli.
The injured suspect was taken to the Bungoma County Referral Hospital and the bodies of the deceased to the St Mary's Mission Hospital mortuary.
Earlier in the year, Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi visited the area and assured locals of their safety, at a time when night killings were almost becoming a norm.