A village in Siaya County is in mourning after nine members of a single family perished in a suspected arson attack in Ugunja Constituency on Wednesday night.
Residents of Upanda Village in Sigomre woke up to the devastating news that an entire household a man, his wife, and their seven children had been wiped out in a mysterious fire.
Authorities suspect the incident may have been deliberately set, possibly linked to a long-standing land dispute involving the family.
Four of the victims were burnt beyond recognition, while the others were found lifeless in the remains of the charred house.
Among the deceased were a high school student preparing for national exams and a six-month-old infant, raising further questions and concern, police said.
The man of the home aged 45 was involved in a land dispute with another family, police said adding the matter had been solved in court.
Nothing could be salvaged from the inferno. Shocking images shared online showed the home completely destroyed, with personal belongings reduced to ash.
The incident happened past midnight Tuesday.
The bodies were moved to the Siaya County Referral Hospital mortuary for postmortem examinations as police continue their investigation.
Authorities confirmed that one suspect has been taken into custody in connection with the attack.
The suspect is a woman who was involved in a dispute over the ownership of the piece of land where the deceased lived.
A court order had been issued to evict the family from the land. The eviction was scheduled for Thursday, police said.
The suspect was found with a jerrican that had what police believe to be petrol that was used in the attack.
Nyanza regional head of DCI George Mutonya said the suspect will face murder and arson charges as the hunt on more suspects goes on.
Witnesses have told police the arsonists arrived aboard a car and executed the mission before escaping.
They had locked the doors of the affected house from outside.
In a retaliatory move, enraged residents descended on the suspect’s home, setting both the main house and surrounding farm structures ablaze.
Police said they have heightened security in the area to prevent further violence, as tension remains high.
In a separate incident late Tuesday, two boda boda riders sustained critical injuries in a road accident just a few meters from Sigomere Police Station on the way to Madungu.
Eyewitnesses described the crash as a “near-fatal” collision.
The injured were rushed to Siaya Referral Hospital for emergency treatment.
Police have launched investigations into both incidents and urged residents to remain calm as they work to uncover the truth behind the tragic events.
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