A 35-year-old Seventh Day Adventist Church (SDA) elder was on Saturday stabbed to death by a fellow elder during a church service at Ramoya village, Samba Sub location in Suba South constituency in Homa Bay County over a suspected love triangle.

Francis Opiyo, a church elder of Ebeneza SDA church, was stabbed with a knife at the altar before the congregation.

It was reported that Francis was stabbed by his fellow elder a few minutes after delivering church reports to the worshipers before the main sermon that was to be presided over by the church pastor. 

According to Suba South Sub County Police commander Caxton Ndunda, elder Francis concluded his session well and handed over to a fellow elder to take over before the pastor’s session which would come later.

However, when Francis was handing over, the suspect, who is a fellow elder in the same church, walked to the altar, removed a knife which he had hidden in the Bible and stabbed Francis’ left side of the chest, where he collapsed on the spot.

Ndunda says the assailant accused Francis of being in a sexual relationship with his wife who is also a church member.

Upon committing the act, the assailant ran away and surrendered to the area Assistant Chief as the elder was rushed to the hospital where he succumbed while undergoing treatment

Ndunda confirmed that they have already apprehended the suspect who is being detained at the Magunga police station

The Police boss urged residents to seek the right modalities of solving social problems instead of resorting to murder.

The body was moved to St Camillus Hospital Mortuary in Sori Town, Migori County.