Man kills self, wife and son in Kisii after woman’s parents reject their marriage

What you need to know:

  • On Sunday, the Nation found other family members and villagers wailing as they tried to come to terms with the tragedy.
  • County Police Commander Simon Kiragu said police arrived at the scene promptly but the child was already dead.
  • The toddler died on the spot while the wife died later at Kenyatta National Hospital where family members had rushed her for treatment.
  • Mr Moseti had broken a window through which he splashed the fuel on his wife who was sleeping with the toddler before lighting the fire.

A man from Kisii killed himself, his wife and son in a house fire after the woman’s parents rejected their marriage, saying they were related.

The couple, with a one year-old son, had been cohabiting in Nairobi and had returned home for blessings from the woman’s parents who however objected to the union on the grounds of kinship.

The incident happened at Nyamache Sub-County in Kisii County on Friday.

The news upset Mr Abraham Moseti who, in a fit of fury, set the house in which they were ablaze.

The toddler died on the spot while the wife died later at Kenyatta National Hospital where family members had rushed her for treatment.

Moseti also died as he was being taken to hospital.

Police said three other people were also injured by the fire. They are nursing injuries at Nyamache Sub-County Hospital.

USED PETROL

Villagers said the man might have used petrol to light the fire.

On Sunday, the Nation found other family members and villagers wailing as they tried to come to terms with the tragedy.

“It was just after nine in the evening when I heard screams... and when I rushed to help, the fire was too strong to salvage anything,” a neighbour, Mr John Onsomu said.

Mr Onsomu said Mr Moseti had broken a window through which he splashed the fuel on his wife who was sleeping with the toddler before lighting the fire.

He said the man was shouting at the top of his voice, saying he wanted to burn to death with his family.

“The woman hit him, throwing him out of the house but it was too late because he had caught fire too,” said Mr Onsomu, a relative of the woman.

COULD NOT MARRY

Mr Onsomu said they did not suspect that Mr Moseti could commit such a gory act.

“This young man, met our daughter Alice Okemwa who is only 24 years old in Nairobi a year ago, but when they came home, we told them they could not get married as they were related,” he said.

“Omokiama and Omometobo clans never intermarry. It is a taboo,” he added.

He said that when Mr Moseti was told this, he swore he would ‘do something’ but they did not expect an act of such magnitude.

County Police Commander Simon Kiragu said police arrived at the scene promptly but the child was already dead.

They helped take the couple to hospital.