Serial killer member of religious cult that kills for human hair

A second self-confessed serial killer has admitted to killing up to seven people.

John Okoth Otieno yesterday said he was introduced to a religious cult that kills for human hair while at Muhoroni Secondary School.
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At one time, the 22-year-old attempted to kill his girlfriend of one year. The lucky woman escaped with injuries and lived to narrate her ordeal to the police yesterday after she heard of Otieno’s arrest.
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“The suspect told us he shaves his victims’ hair after killing them. We caught him with human hair, which he confessed belonged to his latest victim,” Maithya said.

He said they were not interested in ransom or blood from the victims but human hair, which they produce to their seniors to assess their progress.

In the cult, he disclosed, they use a knife to slit open their victim’s throat before shaving them.

The suspect, who shocked police with the ease in which he made the confessions, said members of the cult meet every last Friday of the month in Kisumu, Kericho or Nairobi, where they compare notes on how many each had killed.
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His revelations come barely a week after another self-confessed serial killer Philip Onyancha was arraigned in court.
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– Source / Full Story: Another man confesses to killing seven for hair, Robert Nyasato, The Standard, Kenya, June 21, 2010 — Summarized by Religion News Blog

He has told police that the cult has branches in Kisumu, Kericho, and Nairobi.

“He said they kill their victims and shave off the hair, which they present to their leader every last Friday of the month as proof that they have accomplished a mission,” said local police boss Shadrack Maithya.
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The 22-year-old man is said to have confessed he joined the cult while at secondary school. In the Keroka killing, he booked the lodging through a waiter at the bar and registered as G. Otieno. No other details were given.

The Nyamira police boss said CID officers from Nyamira, Kericho and Nyando were working together to establish if the confessions were true.

He claims to have killed three people in Bondo, two in Nyando, one in Sotik and one in Masaba North district. But when he was arrested, he claimed he had killed five people in Kendu Bay, Katito, Kapsoit, which did not feature in Monday’s briefing.

Nyando police boss Patrick Mbarire said he could not verify the man’s claims.
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On Monday, people who came into contact with the man described him as a charming person.

A woman, who said she was the last person to visit Ms Amenya at the Obomo Hotel room, and identified herself as Judith, said the man posed no danger. “He is the kind of person you want to meet. They are always nice to us and treat us well,” Judith said.

Sources said the suspect, is very eloquent, appeared calm and happy during the interrogation.
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– Source / Full Story: Nyamira self confessed killer ‘belongs to cult’ , Daily Nation, Kenya, June 21, 2010 — Summarized by Religion News Blog

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Religion News Blog posted this on Tuesday June 22, 2010.
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