A shocking incident unfolded in Isebania, Migori County, when a man strangled his mother-in-law to death and set her house on fire during a heated dispute over the custody of his son. The attack, which occurred at dawn on August 27, left one woman dead, another seriously injured, and three young children traumatized after witnessing the ordeal.
According to police reports, the assailant stormed into the home and first targeted a 60-year-old woman. He tied her hands and legs, threatening to kill her if she resisted. To silence her, he gagged her with a piece of cloth before turning his attention to her daughter, 40-year-old Deboda Mwita, who was his mother-in-law.
The man, angered by claims that his wife had left with their son, demanded answers. When Mwita explained that her daughter had traveled to Nairobi, he became violent. He strangled her using both his hands and a cloth, killing her instantly as her children, aged seven, five, and one, watched helplessly.
After committing the crime, the assailant placed Mwita’s body on a bed alongside the tied woman and the children. He then set the house on fire before fleeing the scene. Miraculously, the elderly woman managed to free herself as the fire spread and successfully rescued the three children from the burning house. Sadly, Mwita’s body was burnt beyond recognition.
Locals rushed to contain the fire, but the damage had already been done. Authorities moved the body to the mortuary pending a postmortem as police intensified their manhunt for the suspect, vowing to track him down.
In a separate incident in Lamu County, a 28-year-old shopkeeper, Timothy Mutembei, was fatally stabbed by unknown assailants inside his shop. The gang attacked him at around 8 pm on August 26, stabbing him in the chest and head. Despite raising an alarm, he succumbed to his injuries upon arrival at the hospital.
Meanwhile, in Awendo, Migori County, a domestic dispute turned deadly after a 63-year-old man attacked his 28-year-old son during a quarrel over food. The father struck his son, Geoffrey Ouma, on the head with a wooden jembe handle, killing him. He attempted to flee but was later arrested and is expected to face murder charges.
These disturbing incidents highlight the rising cases of domestic and violent crime in different parts of the country, leaving families torn apart and communities in shock.
