Man accused of eating neighbour’s body parts

By JAMES KARIUKI kamaukariuki@gmail.com, Thursday, June 13  2013 

 In Summary

• They said the body was found on a footpath passing through a Dr Karanja’s farm, where Mr Kimeria used to work as a caretaker.
• He accused him of feasting on the deceased’s heart, private parts and bowels, which were not found. The suspect was handed to police after he failed to explain why he was acting suspiciously.

The High Court was Thursday told of how a casual labourer was slaughtered and body parts eaten by his neighbour in Nakuru.

Two witnesses, Mr Thomas Lochicho and Mr Lucas Tarkus, accused Mr Amos Kimeria of cutting Mr Samuel Epolis into pieces before feasting on some of them.

They told Mr Justice Anyara Emukule that they found Mr Epolis’ body with severed thighs and bowels at Tetu farm in Subukia on June 29, 2012 after he had gone missing for a day.

They said the body was found on a footpath passing through a Dr Karanja’s farm, where Mr Kimeria used to work as a caretaker.

The body was covered in a woman’s clothes, and a further search discovered ‘boneless’ meat in a polythene paper inside a goat’s pen.

A sufuria full of ‘boiled’ meat was also found.

Mr Lochicho said they suspected Mr Kimeria because he was nervous and his clothes were stained with blood.

He accused him of feasting on the deceased’s heart, private parts and bowels, which were not found. The suspect was handed to police after he failed to explain why he was acting suspiciously.

“If he had been around when we found the body and the cooked meat, we would have been speaking of another death. All people of Tetu farm would have been arrested for murder. I am the one who insisted we escort him to the police post long before we saw the body,” he said.

Mr Epolis wife, Jane, told the court that she decided to borrow food from a neighbour after her husband failed to return home on June 28 last year.

The following day, she said, she learnt of his death but was barred from viewing his body because Turkana traditions do not allow. Judge Emukule said he would give a verdict after receiving evidence. The case continues on October 28.