Grief gripped Mwanga village in Mwatate sub-county on Thursday after a 53-year old man killed his father accusing him of having attempted to sodomize him.
Dozens of angry villagers attacked the suspect, Boniface Mwakio, and attempted to set him on fire but they were restrained by the area chief and Administration Police (AP) officers who arrived at the scene soon after the incident.
The villagers later tied the assailant to a stump as they waited for police from Mwatate Police Station to arrive.
Mwakio, who is a mechanic at a garage at Kariokor in Voi town, said the death was accidental as he was only defending himself against his father’s advances.
He said trouble started on Tuesday night when he returned home drunk and went to his bed. He claimed he woke up later to find his 77-year old father, Mwagasha Mwamburi, massaging and trying to sodomize him.
Mwakio said that in anger, he slapped his father viciously across the face. The blow, he added, made the old man bang the back of his head against the wall and then fell down. “I slapped him and he hit his head against the wall. I regret doing it,” said the suspect.
On Wednesday, the father was unwell and stayed in bed. He neither ate nor drunk anything. Mwakio said he returned home on Wednesday night to find his father still on bed and unsuccessfully attempted to feed him.
“When I woke up on Thursday morning, I found my father kicking. I knew something was wrong and went to call neighbours to come and help but it was too late,” he said.
Later, when word of the death spread, more people came and beat him up accusing him of killing his father. He alleged that neighbours didn’t like him and were trying to make him leave so they could take his land. Mwakio and his father lived alone in the homestead.
However, village officials refuted his assertions.
Nancy Mwachia, head of Nyumba Kumi, said it was preposterous to claim a 77-year old man had attempted to sodomize the suspect.
She added the suspect was a notorious drunkard and a known troublemaker who had been reported to the chief many times.
She noted that the deceased had lived in the village for a very long time and was a respected elder.
“He is only changing the story to gain sympathy. His father was a good man. His son is another story,” she said.
Her views were shared by other villagers who said Mwakio was a loner whose wife had to flee after he threatened to stab her.
Ms. Beatrice Ngulu, a villager, said the suspect had only lived in the village for four years after returning from Voi town. “We thought we were welcoming back a prodigal son but we invited death among us,” she said.
The suspect was later taken to Mwatate Police station as police launched investigations into the death. The body was later taken to Moi Hospital mortuary awaiting post-mortem.
Mwatate OCPD Monica Kimani said they were holding the suspect and would charge him once police conclude investigations.
By Wagema Mwangi
Son kills father over sodomy allegations
