A retired police chief was murdered in a bizarre six-hour episode during which his killers first slaughtered and ate a chicken.

The dead man, former Senior Superintendent Abuid Maina, opened the door to his killers, who had started to smash the doors and windows of his home at Murang'a.

His houseboy, Peter Mwasumbe, said the robbers who were armed with axes, machettes, bows and arrows, began to attack the house at 11 pm.

After gaining entry, they ordered Mr Maina and Mwasumbe to sit on the floor in the sitting room. Some of them kept watch while their accomplices searched the house for a gun and cash.

"The old man (Maina) told us not to scream and he gave the gangsters Sh600 which they said was too little. They took the money and continued with their search but found no gun," Mwasumbe said.

At one point Mwasumbe was led by the gangsters to the main bedroom and pushed under the bed.

They then locked Mr Maina's wife, Rose Nduku, in a bathroom and the children in a bedroom before murdering him.

The houseboy said that at around 4 am, they heard a struggle and Mr Maina called his name.

"Maina gave a sharp, painful bleating sound. After some time, the gangsters came to where we were and informed Mrs Maina they had killed her husband and they could only spare her if she gave them money," he said.

Police said the raiders strangled Mr Maina with a sheet then hit his head with an axe, killing him instantly.

"Mr Maina's wife and children informed us that the gangsters demanded a gun and money from him. They also informed him that they had been hired to kill him," said Murang'a divisional police officer Peter Kimani.

The gang stole only a black and white TV and a small radio.

"It appears the motive was to kill him. There were other two TVs and valuables which they did not steal," Mr Kimani said.

Police said that during the six hours the killers were in Mr Maina's home in Kongo-ini area, they slaughtered and ate a chicken.

"After eating the meat, the gangsters put out the lights. Maina was killed between 3 am and 4 am. They strangled him with a bed sheet so he could not scream when he was being killed," Mr Kimani said.

He added that the raiders fled on foot.

Mrs Maina was yesterday in a state of shock.

The house was a shambles. Tables, cupboards and chairs had been turned upside down and Mr Maina's body lay behind the main door.

There was an empty pistol holster, a small pocket radio, a travelling bag, an umbrella and an empty tape recorder.

Mr Kimani said Mr Maina asked his family not to to defy the robbers' orders or to scream.

"He assured them that he would handle the matter alone and all would be well," he said.

He added: "It is baffling why he opened the door. The two main wooden doors of his house are reinforced by steel doors. There's no way the gangsters would have gained access into the house without attracting the neighbours."

A team of investigators led by Mr Kimani and the Central deputy criminal investigations officer, Mr Andrew Mutuku, visited the home.

Before retiring in 1997, Mr Maina was attached to the Coast provincial police headquarters.

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