A family from Mayoyo village in Lwandeti location, Matete sub county is crying for justice after its kin was allegedly assaulted to death by village elders. According to Mrs. Alice Nyongesa her brother Holu Inungilo (58) was arrested by two village elders who claimed to have been sent by area assistant Chief Festus Mukechi, tied his hands with ropes before they started beating him mercilessly with crude weapons.
She said the deceased was arrested at Muyila village where they started beating him all the way to his home, forced him to open his house and they took his machete and continued beating him as they headed to assistant chief’s office at Mukhonje.
Her sentiments were echoed by Holu’s cousin Mr. Bernard Wekesa who said his efforts to intervene by pleading with the elders to stop beating him fell on deaf ears.
“I pleaded with the two village elders, Butiya Wokulwa and Maina Sindani, to let my cousin walk peacefully to the assistant chief’s office but with the help of two nyumba kumi officials they continued beating him ruthlessly,” said Wekesa.
One of the deceased’s daughters said when their father reached near Maturu he fell to the ground after being overwhelmed by the injuries inflicted on him by the village elders and he pleaded with them to allow him to rest, but they refused and instead started pulling him on the ground.
They later reached the assistant chief’s office where it’s alleged they continued assaulting him despite looking unconscious.
Later assistant chief instructed the village elders to take him to Mukhonje police post where the police refused to book him due to his condition and instructed them to first take him to hospital.
The administrators then took him to Webuye Sub county hospital where he succumbed while undergoing treatment. The family said they haven’t been told the reason why the deceased was arrested and killed mercilessly.
“We don’t know the accusation against him, none of his administrators told us what he had done but they just beat him without pity and went ahead to take him to hospital without our knowledge. We were only informed later that his body was lying at Webuye morgue,” said Mrs. Nyongesa.
The village elders and the assistant chief have so far recorded a statement with the DCI office in Lumakanda as investigations into the incident commence.