Teargas, gunshots in funeral procession of murdered girl

Mourners at Kakamega's Scheme Estate where nine-year-old Sharlyne Mwanzia was killed. Chaos erupted on March 23, 2018 as they demanded the arrest of the key suspect. PHOTO | SHARON OKOLLA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The girl went missing for a week and her body was found in a water tank on March 16.
  • Mourners demanded the arrest of the murder suspect.
  • They accused the police of failing to deal with rising crime in the area.

Teargas and gunshots rent the air at Scheme Estate in Kakamega Town on Friday after some mourners and youth engaged anti-riot police officers in running battles during a funeral procession.

Emotions ran high as the women wailed and residents condemned the brutal murder of nine-year-old Sharlyne Mwanzia.

TEARGAS

The girl was murdered and her body dumped in a water tank.

She had been missing for a week since March 11, 2018 and her body was found on March 16.

Sharlyne, who was a Standard Three pupil at St Joseph’s Academy, went missing from her parent’s home as she played with her brothers.

She was allegedly lured by a stranger.

But on Friday during the funeral procession to the estate, a group of youth pelted police officers with stones and they accused them of failing to deal with rising crime.

They demanded the arrest of the murder suspect.

Police fired teargas at rioting youth and shot in the air several times to disperse them. But they denied firing at mourners.

ROWDY YOUTH

A group of youth then started vandalising a house as the mourners approached the estate.

One person suffered injuries on his hands when he grabbed a teargas canister fired at the youth.

Kakamega County Police Commander Johanah Tonui, however, dismissed reports that officers were firing teargas at mourners.

He said officers were deployed to disperse youth who were trying to loot from businesses.

“All we are doing is dispersing rowdy youth who are blocking roads and stoning officers to create confusion and loot from shops and supermarkets,” said Mr Tonui.

BURIAL

Sharleyne will be buried on Saturday in Kivini Village, Kisasi, Kitui County.

The family left Kakamega on Friday evening, travelling to Kitui for the burial.

A man suspected of killing the girl is on the run.

Angry residents damaged and vandalised his father’s house last week.