By Kenan Miruka  

Police in Gucha are searching for a woman who poured paraffin on her son’s body and set him ablaze as punishment for stealing mandazi worth Sh10.

The woman, a widow, took off to avoid the wrath of villagers at Bosinange-Ruma village in Gucha South after the incident that occurred at the weekend.

The boy, a Standard Four pupil at a local primary school reportedly entered a roadside tea kiosk near their home and stole two mandazis worth Sh10.

The kiosk’s owner, a neighbour to the family, followed the boy back to his home and reported the incident to his mother and demanded that he be disciplined for ruining her business.

In a fit of rage, the mother got hold of the minor and gave him a thorough beating before forcing him to consume the mandazi he was carrying.

She then took him to the house, undressed him, and doused his body in kerosene before setting him ablaze. As the boy cried for help, the mother locked the living room and left.

The burning boy was rescued by his elder sister who heard his cries and opened the room. She rushed out and raised alarm attracting the attention of villagers who rushed in to help.

Villagers administered first aid and rushed the boy to St Camillus Tabaka Mission Hospital where he is admitted.

The hospital’s administrator Fr Raphael Wanjau said the boy sustained burns on the chest and neck but he was out of danger.

Gucha OCPD Richard Ng’etich said he had directed officers at Etago Police Station to arrest the woman to answer charges of cruelty on her child.

Otendo-Nyansakia ward councilor John Matagaro said the residents were still in shock following the beastly act by the widow.

“It is unbelievable that a parent can go to such cruel lengths in the name of punishing a child. Something is wrong with our society,” said Mr Otendo-Nyansakia.

The incident occurs barely a week after a farmhand allegedly defiled and killed a five-year-old daughter to his employer in the same village before dumping the body in a sugarcane farm.

The farmhand appeared before a Gucha court and denied committing the offense.