Three people died and two others sustained serious burns when suspected arsonists in Makueni Sub-county torched the house they were sleeping in.
The two succumbed to their injuries at the Makueni Referral Hospital where they had been taken for treatment of the burns they sustained during the heinous act that happened at Nyunzu trading centre at 4am today morning.
Makueni County Commissioner Mr. Maalim Mohammed confirmed the incident saying the dead included a mother, aged 27 years and her two children aged 5 and 2 years old respectively.
Mohammed said that one of the victims, a woman, in critical condition at the hospital, is involved in a land dispute with her brother who does not want her to get a share of the land.
He further said that the mother who used to stay with the woman who is fighting for her life in hospital, was taken away by her brother who is suspected to have torched the house.
“This was a planned incident as there is a strong smell of petrol that was used to burn the house. We cannot condone this, the county criminal investigation officer has initiated investigations and the culprits will be brought to book,” said Mohammed while talking to Kenya News Agency on the telephone on Sunday morning.
The administrator said that village elders had agreed to subdivide the disputed land today but added that will wait until the woman recovers.
However, he warned members of the public against taking the law into their hands while adding that such culprits will be dealt with in accordance with the law of the land.
“Even if you commit such heinous acts, you cannot get what you want. The government will not condone such acts and we shall take tougher measures on individuals committing such vices,” he warned.
The bodies were taken to the Makueni Referral Hospital mortuary for preservation awaiting post-mortem.
By Patrick Nyakundi
