Police in Kakamega are holding a boy for stoning and killing of his schoolteacher uncle in Lugose sub-location after a row over water for domestic use.
The boy allegedly hit his uncle Maurice Shibutse, 47, on the head with a stone after the man barred him from fetching water on Sunday morning.
“The boy came here in the morning to fetch water and my husband refused to grant him permission to get the water, but the boy decided to use force. When my husband tried to stop him he moved back, picked a stone and hit him (Shibutse) on the left side of the head, and ran away,” widow Everlyne Muhenje said.
Muhenje said Shibutse collapsed and was rushed to Mukumu Mission Hospital where doctors treated him and referred him to Kakamega County General Hospital.
He died at KCGH while being attended to by the doctors.
Muhenje said the schoolboy had earlier been suspected of stealing a smartphone and a radio belonging to Shibutse.
Kakamega East police boss Robbert Makau said the culprit was in custody at Shisasari police station.
Makau said investigations are ongoing before the boy can be arraigned.
The body is the Kakamega County General Hospital mortuary awaiting a postmortem
Area chief Gerald Murunga said it was so unfortunate that the life of a brilliant teacher, husband, and father had been cut short in such a way.
“It’s sad that children have lost respect for the elderly these days; such incidents are on the rise but I want to warn the youth that the law will catch up with them if they engage in such acts,” chief Murunga said.
Residents blamed the rise of errant teenagers on the long holiday caused by Covid-19.
“Both the parents and teachers now have a responsibility to make sure that discipline is restored among our children so that we can build a society that has values and that can be dependable in future," Austine Shikami said.
Elsewhere in Lwichi village in Malava constituency a man was lynched on Saturday night for allegedly stealing a cow.
Soita Webo was pounced upon by villagers after they discovered that he was hiding a stolen cow in his house.
Chegulo chief Juma Inzai said there had been a series of theft cases in the area involving cattle, goats, sheep and chicken.
“I received a call from one of the villagers telling me that a stolen cow had been found in a house of the suspect and had already been slaughtered and skinning being done.
“When I arrived, the angry mob had already broken into the culprit’s house dragged him out and set him ablaze,” Inzai said.
The body of was picked up by the police and taken to Kakamega County General Hospital mortuary.
The chief warned the public against taking the law in their hands but to report to the relevant authorities.
