A 25-year-old man from the Gusii community has been arrested by police in Kibera, Nairobi, after he was found allegedly selling human flesh to unsuspecting residents in the area, passing it off as beef.
The suspect was apprehended by officers attached to the Kibera Police Station following a tip-off from members of the public who had grown suspicious of the man’s meat-vending activities in the densely populated informal settlement.
Upon investigation, police confirmed that the flesh being sold was not animal meat but rather that of a woman whose body had allegedly been killed and dismembered. The discovery sent shockwaves through the Kibera community, one of Nairobi’s largest and most populated neighborhoods, where the suspect had reportedly been operating openly among local market stalls.
Residents who had unknowingly purchased the meat from the suspect expressed horror and disbelief upon learning the truth. Some reported that the man had been selling the flesh for several days before authorities moved in, raising serious concerns about how long the operation had been ongoing and how many people may have consumed the meat.
Police have since launched a homicide investigation to establish the identity of the deceased woman, determine the circumstances surrounding her death, and find out whether the suspect acted alone or was part of a wider criminal network. Detectives are working to trace the origin of the body and establish whether the woman was killed specifically for this purpose or whether her body was obtained through other means.
The suspect, whose name has been withheld pending formal charges, is currently in police custody and is expected to be arraigned in court once investigations are complete. He is set to face multiple charges, including murder, abuse of a corpse, and obtaining money by false pretenses, among others.
Area police commander confirmed the arrest and urged residents who may have purchased meat from the suspect to come forward and assist with ongoing investigations. Authorities also called on the public to remain calm while assuring the community that the matter was being handled with the seriousness it deserved.
The incident has sparked widespread outrage across Nairobi, with many calling on the government to intensify surveillance and security operations within informal settlements to prevent such horrific crimes from occurring in the future.