A man strangled to death a 40-year-old woman in a village in Isebania, Migori County in a quarrel over custody of children.
The assailant later set a house on fire as he escaped in the August 27 incident, police said. A woman aged 60 was stabbed and seriously wounded in the drama.
According to the police, the assailant broke into the house at dawn and tied the 60-year-old woman’s hands and legs after threatening to kill her.
He then used a piece of cloth to cover her mouth. He later turned on the deceased Deboda Mwita, 40 and strangled her using a piece of cloth and bare hands as he demanded to know the whereabouts of a woman he said had eloped with his son.
This happened as three children aged seven, five and one watched.
The assailant, according to police later lay the body of the woman on a bed together with the old woman and children and set the house on fire.
But the old woman managed to untie herself as the fire spread and rescued the three children.
The body was burnt therein beyond recognition, police said adding it was moved to the mortuary pending an autopsy.
A hunt on the assailant intensified on Thursday with police declaring they were pursuing leads on his whereabouts.
Elsewhere, a shopkeeper was targeted, stabbed and killed in an attack in his premise in Inda area, Lamu County.
Timothy Mutembei, 28 was stabbed and killed by assailants who escaped after the incident on August 26, police said.
The victim was in his shop at about 8 pm when a gang struck and stabbed him in the precordial area and head.
He raised an alarm prompting the attackers to escape but after they had fatally injured him.
Police said he was rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
In Awendo, Migori County, a 63-year-old man was arrested over the murder of his son aged 28. The incident happened in a confrontation at their home over food.
Police said the deceased had demanded food at the home when his father dismissed him and demanded that he leaves. This prompted a deadly confrontation that saw the assailant pick up a jembe wood that he used in hitting Geoffrey Ouma in the head.
He escaped after the August 26 incident. He was arrested a day later and was expected in court on August 28, police said adding he would face murder charges.
Email your news TIPS to Editor@Kahawatungu.com — this is our only official communication channel
