- The witness told the court that on the fateful morning, she was met by wails from her neighbour's three children who were running towards her home when she woke up.
- Jeruto informed the court that the couple had long-standing domestic wrangles, but it was not expected it could turn tragic.
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An Eldoret court on Wednesday heard how a man accused of murder locked his wife and his grandmother in their respective houses before setting them ablaze.
Susan Jeruto recounted to the court how her 35-year-old neighbour Wilfred Kiprotich locked his wife inside their house before setting it ablaze and burning the deceased to ashes.
Jeruto informed the presiding Judge Robert Wananda that the accused then walked to his grandmother’s house where he also locked her inside and set the house on fire killing the victim.
She was testifying in a case where Kiprotich was charged with two counts of murder.
The accused is charged with murdering his wife Magdalene Biwott and Grandmother Valentine Jepkosgei on November 12, 2021, at Tugen estate in Moiben sub-county, Uasin Gishu County.
Evans Oduor represents the accused while Mark Mugun leads the prosecution.
The witness told the court that on the fateful morning, she was met by wails from her neighbour's three children who were running towards her home when she woke up.
“I came out of the house and asked them what was happening at their home and they said that their father wanted to kill them after locking their mother inside their family house before setting it ablaze,” narrated the witness as tears rolled down her cheeks.
“On being told what had happened, I locked the children inside my house and rushed to my neighbour's home only to be met by a raging inferno that had engulfed two houses,” she added.
When the accused person saw her from a distance, she further explained, that he unlocked his house which was already on fire, and entered inside in an attempt to commit suicide.
She said she immediately raised an alarm alerting other neighbours who rushed to the scene and pulled out the suspect from the burning house, before subjecting him to mob justice.
“The mob and police officers from Moiben police stations who arrived at the scene could however not rescue the suspect’s wife and the grandmother since their bodies had already been burned beyond recognition,” she added.
Jeruto informed the court that the couple had long-standing domestic wrangles, but it was not expected it could turn tragic.
“The man would always be involved in small issues with his late wife and mother, but these were always resolved through the intervention of neighbours,” she said.
The hearing of the case will resume on October 14, 2024.