A disagreement over Sh1,500 in unpaid rent ended in tragedy after a house agent allegedly struck a tenant with a hammer in Noonkopir Estate, Kitengela, Kajiado County.
The incident, which occurred on Friday morning, November 13, 2026, claimed the life of Maurice Otieno Sande following a confrontation with his house agent, identified as Shadrack Sankan Saita.
Neighbours said the disagreement started when Saita visited the rental premises to follow up on outstanding October rent payments.
When he approached Sande, the agent demanded the Sh1,500 balance that the tenant had yet to clear.
However, Sande reportedly explained that he did not have the money at the time and asked for more time, promising to settle the amount later in the afternoon after receiving his salary.
The request allegedly angered the agent, who insisted that the landlord could not wait until later in the day.
What began as a disagreement over a relatively small amount of money eventually escalated into a fatal confrontation that left residents shocked.
According to neighbours Saita briefly left the premises following the disagreement but returned shortly afterwards carrying a hammer.
One of the residents, Tabitha Wambui, recounted the events leading to the confrontation, explaining that the agent had initially visited the premises to follow up on tenants who had not paid their October rent.
“We are deeply disturbed by what happened. The agent arrived in the morning asking tenants who had not paid their October rent. When he asked the deceased why he had not settled his arrears, Otieno explained that he was expecting his salary and would pay in the afternoon,” she said
Wambui added that the agent became furious after the tenant requested additional time.
“But the agent became furious and shouted that the house owner could not wait until afternoon. We never imagined that a disagreement over such a small amount of money would end in someone’s death,” she said.
Another neighbour, Margaret Mutheu, said residents initially thought the disagreement had ended after the agent walked away.
However, they were shocked when he returned carrying a hammer.
“He left for a short while, and we thought the matter was over. To our shock, he returned carrying a hammer. He hit Maurice on the head as the two struggled. Everything happened so quickly, and the victim collapsed,” Mutheu narrated.
The alleged attack left Sande fatally injured. He reportedly collapsed during the confrontation and died at the scene.
The incident attracted a crowd of residents who expressed shock and anger over the circumstances surrounding Sande’s death.
Some neighbours reportedly attempted to apprehend the suspect immediately after the confrontation. However, he managed to leave the scene before residents could restrain him.
Police officers later arrived at the premises, documented the incident and arranged for the removal of Sande’s body.
In a surprising development following the incident, Saita reportedly presented himself at Kitengela Police Station to make a report claiming that Sande had assaulted and injured him.
Officers arrested the suspect while he was completing a P3 medical examination form.
The suspect remained in police custody as investigators prepared to present him before the Kajiado Law Courts on Monday, November 16, 2026.
Meanwhile, Sande’s body was transferred to the Kitengela Sub-County Hospital mortuary, where it awaits a postmortem examination to establish the cause of death.
