Kenya’s acting police chief said officers from the police station where the dismembered body was found near a garbage dump have been transferred.
Douglas Kanja Kirocho said on Sunday that eight female bodies had been recovered from the scene in the capital Nairobi so far.
Kenya’s police watchdog previously announced it was investigating whether officers were involved in the horrific deaths, which occurred amid allegations of widespread police abuses of human rights during recent anti-government protests.
Quillochio said officers from the Quayle Police Department were being redeployed to ensure a “fair and impartial investigation” into the “heinous” deaths.
Detectives have been scouring the scene in Mukuru slum since Friday, when the bodies of six women were found in sacks floating in a sea of rubbish.
Five other bags containing body parts were also found on Saturday.
Preliminary reports indicate that the bodies were in various stages of decomposition and that the deceased were aged between 18 and 30 years old.
Officials said some of the bags contained severed legs and torsos and speculated the deaths could be linked to the activities of a cult or serial killer.
But the Independent Police Oversight Authority said there were “widespread allegations of police involvement in unlawful arrests” [and] “Kidnapping” means it is conducting a preliminary investigation to determine if there is any link to police.
Human rights group accuses police of shooting Dozens demonstrate against planned tax increase Some of them died earlier this month.
Police have also been accused of kidnapping or arbitrarily arresting hundreds of people during the protests.
Regarding the body found in Mukuru, the independent police watchdog said: “The body was wrapped in a bag and secured with nylon rope and showed obvious signs of torture and mutilation.”
The regulator also pointed out that the dump site is less than 100m from Kware police station.
Contrary to police reports, the independent police watchdog said nine dismembered bodies, seven of them women and two of men, were found at the Mukuru dumpsite.
Mr Kirocho said police were working to complete the investigation into the death “within 21 days”.
Police deployed two water cannons to the scene on Saturday after angry protesters threatened to open bags filled with human remains, local media reported.
Officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) urged calm and give them space to make findings, accusing protesters of hampering their investigations.
The horrific discovery has put pressure on President William Ruto, who has vowed those behind the attack will be punished.
“We are a democracy guided by the rule of law. Those involved in mysterious killings in Nairobi and any other part of the country will be held accountable,” he posted on X, formerly Twitter.
The case is the latest disturbing such incident in Kenya.
Last year, the nation was shocked when the remains of hundreds of people linked to a doomsday cult were discovered in the Indian Ocean coastal town of Malindi.
Paul Nthenge Mackenzie went on trial in Mombasa earlier this week on charges of terrorism and murder in the deaths of more than 440 of his followers. He denies the accusations.
He allegedly encouraged men, women and children to starve to “meet Jesus” in one of the world’s worst cult massacres.
