Murang’a arson attack victims were burnt alive, post-mortem reveals
From left: Mary Wangui Njoroge and two of her grandchildren — Jackline Wambui and Alvin Kiarie — who died in the Kandara arson attack. A post-mortem has revealed that the six victims of the attack were burnt alive.
The Chief Government Pathologist Johansen Oduor now says that the six members of one family who died in an arson attack in Kandara, Murang'a County on April 10 were burned alive, died in an agonising manner as they held onto each other with no chance of escape.
Dr Oduor said this Saturday after he performed post-mortems on the bodies at the General Kago Funeral Home in Thika, Kiambu County.
He said that the findings deduced that all the six “were in their wellbeing” before the fire and their primary cause of death were burns.
"All had 100 per cent burns. It is the fire that caused their deaths. Analysis of their anatomical presentation after they succumbed indicates that they all burnt to death as they writhed in pain. Ordinarily, the pain made them pass out as the burning continued. The process of burning continued minutes after they were dead," he said.
In the incident, Ms Mary Wangui, 60, and her three daughters — Cecilia Gathoni, 30, Lucy Mumbi, 18, and Margaret Wanja, 15, perished in the fire believed to have been deliberately started as they slept. Others who died in the fire were Ms Gathoni's two children — Jackline Wambui, 7, and Alvin Kiarie aged 3.
Following the deadly fire, police arrested Ms Alice Nyambura, who is the last born sister of Ms Wangui, on suspicion that she was behind the attack.
Detectives on April 11 sought 21 days from Kandara Senior Resident Magistrate Eric Mutunga to continue holding her and she will be arraigned on May 3 when her case will be mentioned.
Toxicology tests
Mr Oduor said he had taken samples from the bodies for toxicology tests.
"Toxicology is the science of poisons. We want to ascertain further whether by the time they experienced the fatal fire they were under influence of a poisonous substance administered, either by accident or by intention, to limit their ability to free themselves from the tragedy," he said.
Dr Oduor said the matter being subject to homicide investigations needs a higher degree of certainty since the findings will form the foundation of professional witness statement.
Detectives have since declared that the six were intentionally burnt to death since the door into the room that they died in had been locked from outside in a manner that defines "premeditated attack that sought to cause maximum damage by limiting any rescue mission".
The homicide detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations headquarters have since settled on cultism and revenge as the key possible motives for the attack.
The other aspects being investigated are vandalism, intention to cover up another crime and mental illness (pyromania).
Detectives now say they believe that an estate valued at Sh2.3 billion was at the centre of a great enmity in the polygamous family that has 20 siblings and was the core reason for the attack.
Started from inside
The investigations have ascertained that the fire was started around 1am by a person(s) inside the house at the time.
In trying to ascertain the most possible suspects, the detectives say "at the time of fire, the house had nine occupants, six now dead and the suspect in custody together with her two daughters aged 16 and 12."
The report says the fire had all the characteristics of arson "since the colour of smoke and ashes deduced presence of accelerants, the scene lacked accidental causes, burn patterns looked stage managed and concentration of damage looking intended”.
