A middle aged man was, Tuesday, arraigned in a Kabarnet Court, charged with setting ablaze his matrimonial house, reducing property and valuables estimated at more than Sh400,000 to ashes.
Nelson Kipyegon appeared before Senior Resident Magistrate, Edwin Mulochi, charged with Arson, contrary to Section 332 (a) of the Penal Code.
Particulars of the Charge stated that on October 22, this year, at about 10pm at Tiloi village in Baringo North Sub-county, within Baringo County, Kipyegon willfully and unlawfully burnt a family house, which had valuables worth over Sh 400,000 reducing it into ashes.
When the charges were read to him, the accused vehemently denied ever causing the fire, at a time when the kids were fast asleep.
“Your honour, I did not set the house on fire. This is just a fabrication,” he said.
Kipyegon, according to the police report, had quarreled with the wife when he came home late and started asking for a knife, which he usually keeps at the top of the upper bed, but the wife had moved it to the sitting room.
The wife is said to have been frightened by the demand and managed to escape from the house to call the neighbours, who found the house already set ablaze, but they managed to rescue three children who were trapped in the fire.
The Court was told that the lady and the children spent the night at a neighbour’s house, before reporting the matter to Kabartonjo Police Station the following day.
Police Report indicated that the family lost personal documents, TV sets, sofa sets, clothing, beddings, bed, assorted utensils, children documents and books all worth Sh 400,000 that fateful night.
The Court was also told that the husband has been beating and threatening his wife on several occasions, while armed with a panga and knife, while telling her, there is nowhere she will take him, because he can kill her and take her to the grave.
Mulochi in his ruling ordered that Probation Officer to prepare a Probation Report, which will inform his bond terms.
The Magistrate ordered the case to be mentioned on November 11, when a hearing date will be taken, with four witnesses lined-up to testify.
By Joan Tarus and Joshua Kibet
