Police in Gem Wagai Sub County of Siaya have arrested a man who reportedly whipped his daughter to death following a quarrel with his wife over a cellphone.
40-year-old Benard Omondi Owuor was hunted down by villagers while on the run after battering his four-year-old daughter Perez Anyango to death and leaving her two siblings with bruises, at Powo village in Gombe sub location.
According to the Gombe sub location assistant chief, William Okingo Owiti, the suspect, who is being held at Akala police station picked a quarrel with his wife on Saturday night after he arrived home drunk and demanded to know why his own sister had given his wife a cell phone recently.
The chief said that the quarrel degenerated into a fight that saw the wife, Mary Adhiambo leave with her three children and seek shelter in a neighbour’s home.
“The wife returned in the morning with the children and found the suspect sober but he again started beating her up after locking the door from inside,” said chief Owiti adding that Adhiambo managed to open the door and escape leaving behind the children.
“On realising that the wife had escaped his wrath, Owuor vented his anger on the children, beating them senseless,” said Owiti.
The chief said on returning home after several hours, Adhiambo found the child’s body in the house while her siblings had bruises all over their bodies.
“We rushed to the scene and then called the police who removed the body to Bondo sub county hospital mortuary,” he said adding that members of the public helped to trace the suspect who was trying to escape.
By Philip Onyango
