Boy found dead in Kakamega sugarcane plantation

In Matungu Sub-County of Kakamega County, police are probing the murder of a 17-year-old boy, Paul Wanjala, whose body was found in a sugarcane plantation with an axe embedded in his head. The teenager was discovered on October 10, 2026, with the axe lodged on the right side of his head. The body was located around 6:30am, prompting police to investigate the scene.

According to the victim's mother, he had taken dinner with a friend before sleeping. The axe was taken as an exhibit for further investigation. Wanjala's body was later moved to St Mary’s Hospital Mumias mortuary for preservation before a post-mortem examination to determine the cause of death.

Meanwhile, in Gem Sub-County, Siaya County, police are investigating the death of a 26-year-old man, James Okongi Khatika, who was allegedly beaten to death during a night vigil following a dispute over a stolen mobile phone. Khatika's body was discovered on October 10, 2026, along a murram road near the homestead of John Okumu Opondo, where the vigil had taken place.

The incident was reported at around 6am by Khatika's uncle, Joram Oluchiri, who lives in Ebukoolo Sub-location in Vihiga County. According to preliminary investigations, the confrontation erupted during the vigil when a visitor accused the group of stealing his mobile phone. The dispute escalated into a physical assault, resulting in Khatika receiving multiple bruises and severe swellings, likely inflicted by a blunt object.

Fresh bloodstains were found within the homestead where the alleged assault occurred. The scene was processed to collect evidence for the investigation, and the body was moved to Yala Level IV Hospital mortuary for a post-mortem examination. Police are also taking family members from the funeral gathering to assist with the ongoing investigation, seeking to establish the sequence of events leading to Khatika's death and identify those responsible.