Pastor confesses to killing 8-year-old girl in Siaya

Police in Rarieda, Siaya County are investigating an incident in which irate members of the public torched a pastor’s property after he allegedly confessed to killing an 8-year-old girl at Rambugu village in West Asembo location.

The angry mob set ablaze two houses and a church belonging to one Teddy Odire, after he purportedly admitted to killing the girl who went missing on April 10, 2022.

According to West Asembo Chief Wycliff Odiango, Odire lured the girl when she was playing with her siblings, before setting off to an unknown destination with the minor in tow.  

The girl’s parents got concerned after she failed to return home in the evening and upon enquiry were told that she was last seen with Odire.

The chief added that efforts to reach the pastor via phone proved unsuccessful and the girl’s parents opted to physically track him the next day, only for Odire to deny having interacted with the minor the day before.

Odiango added that the pastor soon after went missing only to resurface on Thursday. He allegedly admitted to have been holding the girl at a location in Siaya town.  

The girl’s parents and her other kin went to the said location alongside Odire but did not find the minor there, prompting them to take the suspect to Siaya police station. It is here that he allegedly confessed to killing the minor.

Odiango added that Odire was held at the aforementioned station before being transferred to Aram police station. At the time residents had already torched his two houses and church.

One of Odire’s congregants who attempted to calm the angry crowd was met with kicks and blows and his motorcycle was also torched in the process.

Investigations are still underway to determine if Odire committed the gruesome offence as he has yet to reveal where he disposed off the girl’s body.