Two women lynched and houses set on fire in witchcraft claims

Two women have been lynched and three of their houses set ablaze in Nyamira South sub-county over witchcraft claims.

Ms Pauline Marinda Mogambi, 95, and her daughter Mary Mogambi, 40, were rounded up and set on fire on Saturday at around 4pm by residents of Omokonge village in Bomabacho location.

Mary was said to have come from her matrimonial home to assist her mother harvest maize.

Trouble started on Friday night when, according to the villagers, a book was found bearing a list of witches, the people they had killed in the recent past and those targeted.

“The book had names of some people who have already died. It also had names of people targeted to be killed by the witches, the day and the reason they would be killed,” a villager said.

The attackers used petrol and dry leaves to burn the two women and their houses.

VILLAGERS PRIVY TO ATTACK

However, unconfirmed reports indicated that prior to the incident; some villagers, who were privy of the attack, went to Nyamira Police Station and reported the impending lynch.

The arsonists who appeared well coordinated engaged police in running battles before they were overpowered.

Police fired in their air to contain the situation.

Nyamira South OCPD Rico Ngare condemned the incident and promised to conduct thorough investigations to get to the bottom of the matter.

Cases of the elderly being lynched are not new in the region and authorities link them to domestic feuds including land inheritance and boundary disputes.

Bomabacho sub-location assistant chief Samuel Kinaro asked residents not to take the law into their own hands as this could cause further loss of lives and property.

Police moved the charred bodies of the two women to Nyamira County Referral Hospital Mortuary.