A gavel.
A court in Kitale on Monday ordered the age verification of suspects accused of murder and cannibalism in Kapenguria, West Pokot County.
The court observed that the suspects, among them six minors, cannot stand trial until their ages are ascertained.
This came as the investigating team sought 30 days to detain the suspects to allow for the conclusion of investigations.
Police in Kapenguria arrested the suspects of Ugandan origin over allegations of cannibalism.
They appeared before Chief Magistrate Samuel Mokua, suspected of killing and feasting on the bodies of their victims.
Investigating officer Edward Ndem pleaded with the court to allow them to detain the suspects at Kitale Police Station citing hostility against them in Kapenguria.
Mr Mokua ruled that it would be illegal and unfair to continue holding the suspects especially the minors without confirming their correct ages.
The court ordered that the six minors be taken for age verification at a public health facility and detained at the Kitale Police Station Children Protection Unit (CPU). They are scheduled to appear in court on July 9 for further directions.
The remaining suspects will return to court on July 21 for the mention of the case.
The suspects have yet to take a plea as detectives continue with their investigations.
Following the arrests last Saturday, detectives informed the court that members of the public had earlier torched houses belonging to the suspects and staged demonstrations on the Kitale–Lodwar Road blocking it near the Chesta area.
Read: Life in jail for self-confessed Moi’s Bridge serial killer who raped and strangled five children
The officers told the court that they transferred the suspects to Kitale Police Station for their safety after residents demanded that police hand them over for mob justice in retaliation.
Irate residents also demanded that all Ugandan nationals leave West Pokot immediately, accusing them of cannibalism. They threatened to storm the police station and take the suspects by force if their demands were not met.
Shock has gripped Kapenguria town after the suspects reportedly confessed to killing and eating eight children.
Their horrifying admission plunged West Pokot County into grief and fury as they allegedly revealed that they had abducted, killed and consumed the children over several years.
The gruesome acts came to light amid a rising number of missing children cases in the area.
According to a report at Kapenguria Police Station, at least four children had been reported missing in recent months suspected to be victims of abduction, kidnapping and murder.
The chilling revelations sparked violent protests last Saturday with residents blocking the Kapenguria–Lodwar highway at Bendera for over eight hours, demanding that police release the suspects to face mob justice.
Police sources revealed that the suspects are of Ugandan origin and believed to be from the Abagishu community. One suspect remains at large, reportedly having fled across the border into Uganda.
Last week, thousands of locals stormed the home of two of the suspects after the decomposing body of a seven-year-old boy, Brighton Kibet, was discovered in a maize plantation nearby.
The body was found with some organs missing, which residents believe may have been harvested by the suspects after killing the child.
Inside the ruins of the suspects’ home, villagers found hundreds of children’s clothes, including school uniforms, exercise books, and shoes leading many to believe the victims were school-going children abducted while traveling to or from school.
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