Kisumu: Man Killed While Trying to Save Child, Wife after Their House Caught Fire in Arson Attack

 

A fisherman and his wife, Sheila Otieno, in Alungo village, Seme, have been killed in a fire that has left their child fighting for his life. George Meshack Otieno said Kennedy thought his wife was behind him as he rescued the baby. The fire, which started under mysterious circumstances, burned their property of unknown value. Relatives and neighbours arrived at the fisherman's homestead, but their efforts to extinguish the fire bore no fruit. George Meshack Otieno disclosed that the fisherman, Kennedy, died while trying to rescue his 6-month-old child who was inside the house. "He was about to go out and came back inside and took the child. Now that he had taken the child, he thought the mother was following him. Later, when he was outside, he heard the mother's voice saying, 'Come help me, I'm dying. Ken'," Meshack said. He suffered severe burns to his head, back, chest and legs, whereas his wife was burned beyond recognition in the house. The baby was taken to Kombewa Sub-County Hospital, where he's still fighting for his life. Subscribe to watch new videos Who started fire in Kennedy's home Kennedy's relatives suspect he fell victim to an extortionist gang that has been terrorising the locals after another house was also torched. Esther Auma Mboya fell victim to the gang after she failed to adhere to their demands after she got a letter under her door.  Auma said the gang demanded KSh 50,000 or they would burn her in the house, her boat or her husband. She decided to move out of the house with her four children and on the same night the house caught fire. The residents have lamented struggles under the stranglehold of the gang with several of them receiving threatening notes. Crime busters make Embu their playing field Separately, an undercover team of detectives arrested the main suspects and recovered crucial exhibits linked to a spate of robberies and armed attacks that have rocked Embu county. The three suspects were cornered after a four-day sting operation conducted by the elite Crime Research & Intelligence Bureau detectives. James Murathi alias Jimcarter, 39, Andrew Murathi alias Waaxy, 44, and Charles Mwaniki, alias Bush, 37, were arrested and whisked to Siakago police station for further interrogation.

by  Didacus Malowa