Three children burnt to death after man sets house on fire in land row

Three children were burnt to death Wednesday when a man set the house they were sleeping in on fire at Nyakoe Village following a dispute over land.

The man identified as Edwin Miyaki, was later cornered and lynched by angry villagers as he tried to flee.

The children, identified as one-year-old Daniel Osoro, Silvia Kerubo, aged five, and two-year-old Grace Gesare were sleeping in their grandfather Samuel Miyaki’s house when tragedy struck.

Two of the children belonged to the arsonist’s sister, while the third one belonged to his stepmother.

Twenty-eight-year-old Edwin, who does menial jobs in Nairobi, is said to have arrived in the village on Tuesday afternoon.

Demolished his house

According to villagers, he was incensed when he found that his father had demolished his house and sold his quarter-acre plot.

Villagers said there had always been bad blood between father and the son.

Angered by his father’s action, Edwin woke up early on Wednesday morning and went to a nearby shopping centre, where he bought some petrol.

He returned home and poured the petrol around the house where his father was sleeping with his grandchildren and set it alight.

The one-year-old was reduced to ashes, while the other two children suffocated in smoke. The old man escaped with serious burns and is admitted to Kisii Level Five hospital.

The arsonist tried to run away after the incident, but area residents armed with machetes and other weapons caught up with him about four kilometres from the village and slashed him to pieces.

He was later burnt to death despite the presence of a number of police officers at the scene.

Area police boss Benjamin Kimwele confirmed the incident and said police were investigating.

“The main suspect is no more, but we will pursue the matter until it is put to rest,” Mr Kimwele said.