Man held after machete attack on his three daughters

Lucy Mwema. Her children are in hospital after a brutal machete attack. [Duncan Ocholla, Standard]

Police in Malava are holding a man suspected of attacking his three children with a machete.

The 36-year-old man was said to have been annoyed because his wife had gone to attend a funeral vigil popularly known as disco matanga in the neighbourhood.

The suspect was said to have cut off his 11-year-old daughter's two fingers, while his nine-year-old girl suffered cuts on the head, hand and legs.

The third child, a four-old girl, was injured on the head and neck.

Window through which the children were rescued. [Duncan Ocholla, Standard]

According to area OCPD Peter Mwanzo, the suspect would be taken to court once police completed their investigations. 

“He said he woke up at night to find his wife missing, and that this annoyed him," said Mr Mwanzo.

Neighbours said they rushed to the suspect's homestead when they heard the children's screams at around 2am.

Locked door

“The door was locked. We wanted to break it but he threatened to kill the seven-year-old boy he was holding," said Florence Kulecho.

The suspect was said to have retreated to the bedroom, taking the child hostage and leaving the injured ones in the living room.

"We rescued the children through the window and informed the police, who came at 5am and arrested him,” Ms Kulecho.

She said the suspect threatened to attack anyone who approached him.

Injured children

The injured children have been transferred from the Malava sub-county hospital to the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret for further treatment. 

The suspect's wife said the man was mentally ill and that he had once threatened to kill her.

“He has cerebral malaria. I usually give him medicine to cool him down when his condition worsens. In January he even threatened to kill me with an axe but by good luck we controlled the condition on time,” she said.

She added that her wish was for her children to recover and her husband to be get treatment.

“I pray for my children to recover and my husband to be taken for checkup to know if he has a mental problem. If he committed the act knowingly they should prosecute him,” she said.