Murder most foul: Five family members burnt alive over witchcraft

The aftermath of a fire that left six family members dead in Nyagau village, Rongo Sub County in Migori County yesterday. According to locals, a gang staged the attack after it was claimed the family was involved in witchcraft. [Caleb Kingwara, Standard]

An 80-year granny and her daughter in law together with her three children were burnt alive inside their house over links to witchcraft which left a sixth person dead in a Migori village.

Maritha Amollo 80, Helida Akinya, 40 and her children in classes seven, three and nursery school at Opapo Primary School were burnt to bare bones after irate villagers stormed their home and set ablaze five houses.

Maritha’s husband Elijah Dwalo and three other family members escaped unharmed during the Thursday night incident which left villages reeling in shock.

Dwalo is said to have escaped with machete wounds.

Witness accounts have it that in December last year Awuonda was attacked with a machete by Dwalo and Maritha’s son, only identified as Omondi. That after Omondi landed a 12-year jail term for the assault, Dwalo warned that Awuonda would not last to the end of February this year.

“So when he fell ill on Thursday February 28, we knew it was the spell taking effect. We took him to Maritha so that she could lift the spell but she declined, saying it was a consequence of the jail sentence for her son,” said Mary Atieno, Awuonda’s close relative.

Atieno said when they went back home, angered villagers demanded that Maritha does something to save Awuonda’s life.

“We do not know how it degenerated into violence but soon after they stormed the compound some of the family members scampered out of the homestead and the next moment five houses were on fire,” she said

On returning home, according to Atieno, they found Awuonda already dead. She did not say if there were any efforts to get him to a hospital.

Acharo Ouma, a village elder said they knew it was witchcraft. He said the man’s health just deteriorated and he quickly grew weak.

The six bodies were taken to Rosewood mortuary in Rongo town.

Rongo OCPD Kibet Kirui confirmed that five people were killed in an attack that was under investigation as “a sereious criminal offense.”

He also confirmed four other members of the same family managed to escape with serious burn wounds and were being treated at Migori Referral Hospital for treatment.

Dwallo, who escaped with panga cuts is also recuperating at a hospital in Rongo town.

Police who arrived at the scene are trying to locate an eight years old girl from the family if she was either burnt beyond recognition or escaped.

“So far we have not made any arrests but we are investigating the matter,” said Kurui.