Sacco chairman, wife killed as children sprayed with sulfuric acid

Kisii: A coffee Sacco chairman have been shot dead and his wife and four children sprayed with sulfuric acid.

The Friday night raid at Geoffrey Kamonde’s home in Bokeira village, Nyamira County is believed to have been triggered by a fallout in the coffee Sacco elections held on April 28, 2016, in which he was re-elected chairman.

Mr Kamonde’s wife Jemima succumbed to injuries while in the process of being referred to Kenyatta National Hospital on Saturday night.

The children are admitted to Kisii Level Five Hospital.

Hospital CEO Enock Ondari described their condition as critical.

“Jemima had over 80 per cent burns while the rest have between 40 and 60 per cent burns. They are in a critical condition but we are doing our best to save their lives. Any burn that is above 20 per cent is always critical more so when it is caused by an acid,” said Dr Ondari.

Geoffrey was the chairman of Igare Coffee Society after his re-election in a poll that some members had dismissed as rigged.

A neighbour who identified himself as John Mogoka said he heard a girl screaming before sounds of gun shots filled the air.

“We rushed to the home and were shocked to find Geoffrey’s body lying in a pool of blood right at the door step. Four other members had been locked in one room by the thugs and were left to die after they were sprayed with the acid,” said Mogoka.

Mogaka said the area has experienced a number of insecurity incidents.

“We have reported these incidents to the police but nobody has been arrested so far. We have even forwarded names of suspects to the security officers but there has been a lot of laxity in apprehending these criminals,” he said.

A family member who didn’t want to be named said the attackers seemed to have planned the assault.

“Those who shot at my uncle are people who have knowledge on how to use firearms,” said the family member.

Nyamira County Commissioner Josephine Onunga said one suspect had been arrested and was assisting police with investigations.

Sacco wrangles

She explained that the suspects used Geoffrey’s sister-in-law to access his compound.

“They commanded her under threat to knock on the victims’ door,” she said. “

After killing Geoffrey, they locked the other four family members in one room and sprayed them with acid before fleeing the scene. We suspect internal wrangles in the coffee Sacco as the cause of the attack.”

 Area MP Charles Geni called on the police to move with speed to arrest the attackers. “Some of these security officers are not doing enough to address growing crime in the constituency,” said Mr Geni.