Woman burns herself to death over lover's infidelity

A woman died after she doused herself with paraffin and set herself on fire in an incident linked to a love triangle in Taita Taveta County.

According to neighbours, the woman had been cohabiting with a Tanzanian lover on the outskirts of Mwatate town.

The police and residents of Kariobangi village said the middle-aged woman identified only as Rose died while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Voi town where she was rushed on Wednesday night.

Mwatate Sub-County OCPD Francis Mwangi confirmed the incident and said investigations had been launched.

He said neighbours reportedly heard distressed calls and when they rushed towards the woman's rented house, they found her outside and on fire.

The police officer said the 23-year-old woman succumbed to serious burns at Voi Hospital yesterday morning.

He said neighbours could not take the victim to the nearby Mwatate Sub-County Hospital because health workers are still on strike.

Rescue effort

"The neighbours quickly moved and managed to put out the fire. They rushed her to the hospital where she died yesterday while undergoing treatment," said Mr Mwangi.

He said the motive of the incident is yet to be known.

"We cannot rule out love triangle as the main cause. We have, however, launched investigations," Mwangi told The Standard yesterday.

Neighbours said the woman got wind that her lover was entertaining her rival in a bar in town.

When she stormed the bar, she confronted her Tanzanian lover thereby causing a commotion.

"The management restrained the woman and she later went away," said a bar attendant.

"We later learnt that the woman, a mother of two, had set herself on fire," added the attendant.

The incident comes at a time when the Government is still grappling with increased cases of suicide in the region.

Police and local leaders attribute the rising cases to domestic violence, denial of conjugal rights, infidelity, frustration and drug and alcohol abuse.

Meanwhile, business was disrupted in Mwatate town for several hours when two women fought over a man.

One of the women identified as only Mary accused the other woman of "snatching" her husband.

Attack husband

Earlier, Mary caused a scene in the town when she attacked her alleged husband before venting her anger on her rival, who is a businesswoman in the town.

The angry woman had earlier stormed the business premises of her rival only identified as Jenifer and confronted her.

A fight broke out between the two as curious residents watched in disbelief.

Local residents intervened and separated the two women.