Police hold man over poisoning of four children

Police in Eldoret are holding a peasant farmer, who allegedly poisoned his four children after fighting with his wife, resulting in two of them dying.

Acting Eldoret West Police boss Tom Achiya said the incident happened at Chepsaita Village in Turbo Constituency, Uasin Gishu County on Sunday.

The two children who died were a two-year-old boy and a girl aged 11.

The suspect is being held at the Eldoret West Police Station.

Police Monday sought more time to detain him so that they could complete investigations.

According to Mr Job Mulati, the Uasin Gishu County chief prosecutor, only when investigations are completed will the suspect  be taken to court.

“Already, the matter is in the High Court and the OCS has requested for 14 days to detain the suspect as they continue with investigations,” he said.

The survivors, the couple’s first born, a 13-year-old daughter, and their third born, a seven-year-old girl are being treated at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital.

The bodies of the two children are at the Kimbilio Hospice mortuary on the border of Uasin Gishu and Kakamega counties.

“My officers rushed to the scene of the incident, found the two children writhing in pain and took them to Lumakanda Sub-County Hospital, but they were pronounced dead on arrival,” said Mr Achiya.

The farmer also attempted to commit suicide by taking the same poison and was rushed to the Lumakanda Hospital, where he was treated.

According to Mr Achiya, the suspect and his wife had quarrelled, resulting in a fight, forcing the woman to flee.  The suspect then turned his anger on their children, poisoning all of them.

“We managed to retrieve what remained some of the chemicals used by the suspect to poison his children. These will be used in court as exhibit,” he said.