Journalist survives death after assailants petrol bomb house

Before the incident, the scribe allegedly had an altercation with a politician over an unknown issue.

In Summary
  • It took the entire efforts of his neighbours to put off the fire using water and other available materials.
  • On the fateful day, the journalist had retired to his house and was only awakened by a loud bang of fire having engulfed his entire sitting room.
Some of the houshold items that got burnt in the attack.
Some of the houshold items that got burnt in the attack.
Image: TONY WAFULA

Police in Bungoma town are investigating an incident where unknown people petrol-bombed a journalist's house.

The journalist Francis Kasaya, 35, survived death by a whisker after unknown assailants attacked his house and hurled a petrol bomb inside.

The bomb destroyed household items in his sitting room including sofa sets, a fridge, TV screen, and a woofer among others all valued at around Sh350,000.

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, a petrol bomb is a bottle filled with petrol or other liquid fuel with a piece of cloth on its top, that is set on fire and thrown.

Before the incident, Kasaya allegedly had an altercation with a politician over an unknown issue.

The politician had allegedly warned Kasaya of dire consequences should he carry on with his alleged blackmail on social media forums.

On the fateful day, the journalist had retired to his house and was only awakened by a loud bang of fire having engulfed his entire sitting room while he was asleep in his bedroom.

It took the entire efforts of his neighbours to put off the fire using water and other available materials.

Police officers from the Criminal Investigation Department arrived the following morning and took photos and other evidence to help them in their investigations.

Speaking to the press on Wednesday Bungoma police station OCS David Odongo confirmed receiving the information and added that his officers are investigating the issue.

"My officers are on the top of the matter, they are investigating two incidences to unravel the puzzle behind the failed murder incident, we will soon nab the culprits behind the Criminal act," Odongo said.

In the first incident, Odongo said the scribe reported and even wrote a statement of a politician allegedly roughing him up and they have invited the politician to shed more light on the reported incident.

"However on the second incident, CID officers are investigating the incident where unknown people broke his window panes and dropped something into his house which burnt household items while he was asleep," he said.

The journalist reported the incident at Bungoma police station vide OB NO 55/29/10/2023 at 1240HRS.

WATCH: The latest videos from the Star