Man denies killing brother over dance on mother's grave

A man was accused of killing his brother over a dance on mother's grave on Christmas eve.

A man charged with killing his brother for dancing on his mother's grave has denied the charges against him at the Kakamega High Court.

Appearing before Judge Patrick Otieno, Bonface Ogore Andala,33, pleaded not guilty to killing Duncan Barasa at Eshibutse village in Indangalasia sub-location in Kakamega on Christmas Eve.

Judge Patrick Otieno ordered a probation report before granting the accused bond.

"Probation officers are to file a report within 21 days from today for bond terms," he said.

He also noted that since the deceased was the brother of the victim and are close family members, there are risks of interference of witnesses.

The prosecution told the court that Andala attacked his brother on Sunday midnight for singing and dancing to dirges and eating pork on their late mother's grave.

His body was found with deep cuts and he died after severe bleeding with his clothes soaked in blood.

The suspect was arrested and booked at the Kakamega central police station while his co-accused escaped but police still launched a manhunt for him.

The deceased's sister, Agnes Anyona in an interview with the Standard in December after the incident said her brother had just arrived from the city for Christmas festivities.

"He had just arrived from the capital city and went to see his friends, and when he arrived home, he went straight to the grave of our late mother and started dancing while eating the meat. When my other two brothers heard about it, they were annoyed, alleging that it was against cultural beliefs," said Anyona.

Anyona said her brother came with a half kilogram of pork with Sh400 and started dancing and singing mourning songs on the grave before his brothers came and attacked him.

She added: "He was attacked by a panga and crude metal rod where he sustained cuts on his head and legs before he succumbed due to bleeding."

Anyona said the suspects claimed that their brother has been having a habit of dancing on the grave of their mother, questioning the reason behind his move.

"From what my brothers were saying, what irked them most was the pork, and we do not know what they had in their thought and perception towards the meat," she said.

The deceased's aunt, Grace Lutatwa, said after dancing on the grave, the deceased gave his sister the meat and Sh400.

"He was sleeping on the grave, singing Christmas carols and some mourning songs, and asked his sister why the Christmas day had taken so long," she said.

"My nephew was seriously injured because the two pounced on him with panga and crude metal. We tried to save him, but we were overwhelmed, and it is so sad that I saw my nephew killed without having much to do," she said.

The matter will be mentioned on March 12 for a case conference and hearing on June 13.