Man gets ten years in jail for setting wife ablaze

By Stella Mwangi

A Nakuru court has sentenced a man to ten years in jail after it found him guilty of setting his wife ablaze.

According to the prosecution, Peter Ochieng doused his wife with kerosene and struck a match stick that started the fire, which caused her severe burns on the neck, face and chest. The couple separated during post-election chaos in 2008 and Ochieng refused to give up custody of their 16-month-old daughter.

Principal Magistrate Weldon Korir, who found him guilty of the offence, turned down a recommendation by probation officer Elizabeth Kwamboka to have the accused sentenced to a non-custodial sentence.

Grievous harm

The report had indicated that Ochieng was remorseful for his actions and that his estranged wife did not have a problem with the recommendation.

Ochieng was charged that on June 26, 2008 at Rhonda estate, Nakuru, he caused grievous harm to Margaret Wanjiru. While convicting Ochieng, the magistrate observed that the prosecution, through its seven witnesses, had proven that the accused committed the offence.

On the day of the offence, Ochieng asked Wanjiru to go to his house promising her he would give up the child.

But when she got there, a squabble ensued after Ochieng refused to give up the child. He then poured kerosene on Wanjiru and set her ablaze before neighbours rescued her.

Wanjiru was admitted to the Rift Valley Provincial General Hospital and Kenyatta National Hospital for several months.

In his defence, Ochieng told the court his estranged wife had set herself on fire after an argument in an effort to commit suicide.

However, Korir dismissed his defence, saying that evidence adduced in court proved he had chased away his family members before starting an argument with Wanjiru.

Korir disagreed with the probation officer and said the crime deserved a stiff punishment.