In a shocking and tragic incident, a 35-year-old Seventh Day Adventist Church (SDA) elder was stabbed to death during a church service on Saturday at Ramoya Village in Suba South Constituency, Homa Bay County. The suspect, also a church elder, allegedly committed the act over a suspected love triangle.
The deceased, identified as Francis Opiyo, an elder at Ebeneza SDA Church, was stabbed at the altar in front of the congregation. According to reports, the incident occurred shortly after Francis had delivered church reports to the worshipers, just before the main sermon was to be presided over by the church pastor.
Suba South Sub-County Police Commander Caxton Ndunda provided details of the incident, stating that Francis had concluded his session and handed over to another elder to take over before the pastor’s session. However, as Francis was handing over, the suspect, a fellow elder in the same church, walked to the altar, removed a knife hidden in a Bible, and stabbed Francis on the left side of his chest. Francis collapsed on the spot and was rushed to the hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment.
The assailant reportedly accused Francis of having a sexual relationship with his wife, who is also a member of the church. After committing the act, the suspect fled the scene but later surrendered to the area Assistant Chief. He is currently being held at Magunga Police Station as investigations continue.
Police Commander Ndunda condemned the act, urging residents to seek peaceful and lawful means to resolve social disputes rather than resorting to violence. “We urge the public to use the right channels to solve their problems instead of taking the law into their own hands,” Ndunda said.
The body of the deceased has been moved to St. Camillus Hospital Mortuary in Sori Town, Migori County, awaiting postmortem and further investigations.
The incident has left the local community in shock, as such violence is rare in places of worship.
Leave a Reply