A somber mood engulfed Mukinyai trading centre in Rongai after the body of a 20-year-old man who went missing on Sunday was found floating in the streams of Mau River.
Rongai police officers have since arrested a suspect believed to have murdered John Chege.
The suspect was allegedly found with blood-stained clothes and a mobile phone belonging to the deceased.
Ann Njoki, the deceased’s relative, said her brother went missing after a drinking spree with the suspect whom he works with at a quarry. She said the suspect was the first to check on his friend a day after he went missing but the family suspected him after he directed them to the river where the body was found.
“We had all reasons to believe that he had killed our brother after he was found with his clothes and phone,” said Njoki.
Police officers at the scene where the body was found said the suspect is a jailbird released three weeks ago where he was serving a jail term for having an unnatural act with a sheep.
Rongai police boss Joseph Mwamburi said the suspect will be arraigned in court after investigations are concluded.
Chege’s body was taken to Molo district hospital mortuary awaiting a post-mortem examination.