Man charged with burning ex-wife with hot cooking oil

A man was on Friday charged with burning his former wife with hot cooking fat on the head after he accused her of ignoring their two children.

Geoffrey Ochieng was charged with burning Maureen Otieno on March 14. He denied the charges before Makadara magistrate Heston Nyaga. 

He is alleged to have committed the offence at Saida in Makadara, Nairobi.

The prosecution said the suspect visited his ex-wife at the place where she sells fried chicken. He asked if she could go to his home and see their children, but Otieno is said to have refused.

The suspect is alleged to have gone to a neighbour, who was frying fish, took her pan full of hot frying oil and poured it on Otieno.

The prosecution further claimed furious members of the public quickly rushed to to Otieno's help as the suspect was about to pour more oil on her. 

The mob arrested the suspect and took him to Huruma Police station. He was later   transferred to Kayole police station then taken to court.

Ochieng told the court he wanted to discipline his former wife. He said since they divorced, she had become very arrogant.

The man said he was a humble man who could not raise unrealistic bonds like other suspects. He requested to be released on lenient bond terms.

He was released on a cash bail of Sh100,000 or a bond of Sh200,000 pending hearing of the case on June 10.