Residents of Lumama village in Lugari sub county have been left perplexed after a man sneaked into his parents-in-law compound at night and set their cows on fire.
According to the mother Ms. Josephine Nanjala Malimu, his son in-law who identifies himself using different names among them Fabian Rotich and Absalom Matindo had separated with his wife about a month ago following a domestic conflict forcing her to park her belongings and return home.
“The man has no identity card and we can’t tell his exact names because he does introduce himself with various names and we don’t even know his family,” said Ms. Nanjala.
On Saturday she said the son in-law visited their home demanding to be allowed to take his wife and baby with him and also be given a machete and a spade, of which she and her husband Emilio Guvondo refused.
“He shocked us by confessing that he had bewitched his ailing grandmother-in-law and that we should heed to his demands before the granny is healed,” she said.
Nanjala said later the man proceeded to her brother-in-law Mr. Danston Salago’s house where they held a long day meeting before he left in the evening.
He, however, returned in the night at about 9pm and doused two cows with petrol before setting them ablaze, killing one as the other survived with serious injuries.
She said it is disappointing the man has not even paid dowry yet he was quick to burn the cow which she has been relying on for milk to support the family and pay school fees for her children.
According to Nanjala, the man lured her 17 year old daughter from school and married her before he started mistreating her, leading to their separation.
“She was a form four student at Lumama secondary school before this man lured her into marriage,” she said, appealing for a legal action against the suspect.
Prior to the Saturday night incident, Nanjala said some days ago, the man had sneaked into his grandmother-in-law house where the wife sleeps with the child and tried to strangle her before they screamed for help.
The incident has been strongly condemned by residents led by Lugari sub county community policing chairman Mr. Michael Kimono.
“It is shocking how the current generation has no respects to the in-laws, we expect this man to give his in-laws cows but instead he is killing the ones they have,” said Kimomo.
Police officers from Lumakanda police station have launched an investigation into the incident as they hunt for the suspect who ran into hiding after the incident.