Man who killed son over Sh500 to stand trial in Kakamega

A man alleged to have murdered his son age 13 over the loss of Sh500 in their house shall on May 7 stand trial.

The Director of Public Prosecutions approved his murder charge sheet.

The Deputy Registrar of Kakamega High Court Josephine Maragia ordered John Khatera to be remanded at Kakamega GK Prison until he is produced before the judge to take plea.

This is after a mental assessment report revealed that he is fit to stand trial for the capital offence.

According to documents tendered in court, Khatera is accused of murdering Robinson Lisangare, a case which shall see his family testify against him since they have been lined up as state witnesses.

It is alleged that the accused had on April 11 left to register for Huduma Number at their Yonangu village, Lurambi sub-county leaving Lisangare behind.

After the registration, the father went home and started saying he could not trace his Sh500 he had left in the house.

He called the deceased who was playing with his peers and inquired where he took his money.

Khatera is said to have taken the minor to the bedroom while the mother, Naomi Enyanji rushed to a nearby shop.

Upon her return, Enyanji found the boy lying unconscious in the bedroom and asked her husband what happened to their son.

To her utter shock, the mother heard that Lisangare fell from the bed while trying to escape the punishment after the father wanted to beat him.

They rushed the child to Kakamega County General Hospital where he was pronounced dead few minutes after his arrival.

The mother reported the incident at Kakamega Police Station where officers visited the crime scene.

Post moterm report signed by Kakamega Chief Patologist Dixon Mchana revealed that the deceased died as a result of severe head injury secondary to blunt force trauma, following an assault.

Ms Maragia directed that the matter be mentioned before High Court Judge Jesse Njagi on May 7 for plea taking.