Man kills self after murdering family
Residents of Mulimakiu village, Meru County, view the remains of a house that was burnt on December 2, 2016. The whole family perished in the fire. PHOTO | DICKSON MWITI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Mr Jakubu Mbiti, a neighbour, said he did not understand why Mr Mugambi killed his family.
A man hanged himself after killing his family by torching the house they were in.
Gordon Kimathi, 30, locked his wife and three children (one of them his niece) in their house in Mulimakiu village in Meru County before burning it on Friday night.
The girl is recuperating at Maua Methodist hospital. She was saved by police officers.
The neighbours said that the couple had been fighting prior to the incident.
On the day of the incident, the wife had left their home after a quarrel.
Mr Mugambi later sought the help from an elder from the area to convince his wife to return.
Mr Jakubu Mbiti, a neighbour, said he did not understand why Mr Mugambi killed himself and his family.
"I have known Mugambi for some time and I could not imagine he could take such an action. Something is wrong somewhere and the family should seek elders' intervention," he said.
He added that the deceased last month had tried to take his life by ingesting a herbicide but his wife rushed him to the hospital where he was treated.
Villagers are yet to come to terms with the incident.
Protus Wanyama, in charge of Kangeta police post, said an inquest file will be opened to probe what triggered the man's actions.
