Gang raids Kisumu Holo restaurant, kills receptionist Edwin Kosgei; three injured

A gang raid at the Villa Del Sol Beach Hotel and Restaurant in Holo, Kisumu County left receptionist Edwin Kosgei dead and three other employees injured after five men attacked the premises and stole alcoholic drinks, local outlets reported. KahawaTungu identified the deceased as Edwin Kosgei and said the raid occurred on the morning of February 23.

KahawaTungu and The-star reported that five men armed with pangas and other crude weapons staged the attack and escaped with alcohol from the premises. An initial brief described the employee as having been "shot and killed"; police have not publicly confirmed a weapon-specific cause of death in the material reviewed, and the body was moved to the mortuary pending an autopsy, according to the reports.

Police arrived at the scene and detectives visited as investigators opened a probe, with authorities publicly saying they were pursuing the suspects. The original brief states that by February 25 police had launched a manhunt; KahawaTungu and The-star noted that "no arrest had been made by Tuesday" as investigations continued.

Three other employees, including security guards, were injured during the raid, sources said. The reports do not provide names, ages, or the medical condition of the injured staff, and no hospital destinations were specified in the dispatches.

The-star placed the attack in a broader local context, writing that "detectives visited the scene and announced they were pursuing the gang, with pressure on the police to address the rising trend of crime in the area, which has left many injured and others dead." The same dispatches packaged two other recent killings: in Magenche, Kisii County police found 45-year-old James Otwoni dead with visible injuries, and in Nguutani, Kitui County police identified 32-year-old Carol Mueni as a woman found murdered with multiple stab wounds.

Investigators have yet to release suspect descriptions, CCTV findings, or forensic details, and the reports advised that the mortuary will hold Kosgei’s body pending autopsy results. KahawaTungu provided an editorial contact email for tips as part of its coverage. Police and local newsrooms are expected to update the community with autopsy findings, any arrests, and further details from the manhunt.