‘Premeditated killings’: Young girl fights for life 3 months after triple murder of kin
Anna Chemutai Mosonik (mother-in-law), Sheila Chepkemoi (wife), Ivyne Cherono (sister-in-law) burnt to death by Hillary Langat in Bomet County in August.
What you need to know:
- Hillary Langat poured petrol on his wife, her blind mother, her sister and their four-year-old daughter before setting them ablaze in their Bomet County home.
- Three women died from 90 per cent burns.
- Four-year-old Tracy Chebet remains hospitalised in serious condition more than three months later.
The jerrycan seemed innocent enough. So did the walking stick. Nothing about Hillary Langat's arrival that evening of August 25, 2025, suggested the horror he was about to unleash on his wife's family in their Koitabai home in Kaporuso area of Kembu, Bomet County.
Family members welcomed him, though the unannounced visit felt unusual. They could not have known that the container he carried held petrol, or that within minutes, their semi-permanent kitchen would become an inferno that would claim three lives and leave a four-year-old girl fighting for survival.
Days earlier, Langat had quarrelled with his wife, Sheila Chepkemoi, prompting her to return to her parents' home with their child. That evening, he found his mother-in-law, Anna Chemutai Mosonik—who lived with blindness—and his sister-in-law, Ivyne Cherono, in the kitchen. His daughter, Tracy Chebet, slept near the fireplace, unaware of the danger lurking.
Attack
His wife had gone to the local posho mill to fetch maize flour. When she returned and found him there, Langat launched his attack.
Bomet County Police Commander Edward Imbwaga said the suspect assaulted his in-laws in an attack that led to the death of three victims and left the young girl with serious injuries.
"On the material day, the suspect is said to have disagreed with his wife a few days earlier, and he went to his mother-in-law's house armed with a container full of petrol, which he poured on the victims before setting them on fire," Imbwaga said.
The four victims—Anna, Sheila, Ivyne and Chebet—sustained severe burns and were rushed to Longisa County Referral Hospital. Due to the serious nature of their burns, they were transferred to AGC Tenwek Hospital.
"Three of them later succumbed to their injuries, while the young girl, Chebet, is still undergoing treatment," Imbwaga said.
Hospital records indicate that the three deceased victims sustained 90 per cent burns, resulting in multiple organ failure while undergoing treatment. Anna and Sheila died three days after the attack, on August 28. Ivyne succumbed to her injuries on September 2, as funeral arrangements for her mother and sister were underway.
Due to her disability, Anna could not see what was happening and was unable to flee or protect herself during the attack.
Beatrice Bosuben, a family member, said the victims struggled to raise the alarm as the fire engulfed them, and their burning clothes made rescue efforts extremely difficult. Neighbours rushed to the homestead as the assailant fled into the night, leaving the victims for dead.
The suspect went into hiding after the incident but resurfaced three days later, only to be attacked by members of the public. He succumbed immediately to his injuries and was buried on September 5.
According to his immediate family members, Langat had a criminal record and had repeatedly been arrested for assault and theft. He is said to have regularly battered his wife over the past two years.
David Koech, a family member, said the attack and subsequent deaths had caused strain between the affected families.
"As a family, we decided to bury all three victims on the same day to end the suffering they have endured and to close a sad and dark chapter in our lives," he said.
The three were buried side by side on September 6. During the burial ceremony, mugshot photographs of the victims were prominently displayed atop the white coffins in which their bodies lay—the only visible reminder of their existence. Due to the severity of the burns, mourners were not allowed to view the bodies. The coffins remained closed throughout the seven-hour funeral service.
More than three months later, young Chebet remains hospitalized at AGC Tenwek in serious condition, receiving specialized treatment.
"The loss has devastated us. It was undeserved in every way. It will take us a long time to overcome it. We need all the support we can get," said Benard Bosuben, the eldest son in the family.
"The fact that someone could attack his blind mother-in-law, his wife, his sister-in-law and an innocent child in their own home speaks volumes about the level of planning involved—from buying petrol to obtaining a matchbox. It was clearly premeditated murder."
Catholic priest Julius Rotich of Tegat Parish expressed concern over the growing number of young people abusing alcohol, drugs and other substances, leading to disorder in society.
"It is unfortunate that we have found ourselves in a situation where young people have turned violent because parents and society have failed to guide and discipline them," he said.
Lasting solution
Rotich stressed the need for dialogue and reconciliation when disputes arise within families and between neighbours.
"Where did the rain start beating us? What has caused the sudden rise in cases of gender-based violence, injuries and murders among families? We must confront this as a church, as a community and as a government," he said.
Bomet Governor Hillary Barchok described the rising cases of gender-based violence and murders against women and children as a matter of grave concern for both national and county governments.
"We must find a lasting solution as a community to the increasing cases of gender-based violence in the region to ensure stable and productive families," he said.
During the funeral, he pledged to adopt Chebet, personally settle her hospital bills, including any plastic surgery she may require, and support her education to the highest level. The governor also said professional counsellors from the county government were available to offer psychosocial support to families that need help to ease their burden.
Richard Yegon, the Bomet East MP, said it was tragic that a visually impaired mother had been attacked in her own home by a son-in-law, resulting in the death of three family members and severe injury to a young girl who is still fighting for her life.
"This mind-boggling attack was unwarranted and highlights the urgent need to address mental health issues in society. We must have a national conversation to end such attacks," he said.
"We cannot bury our heads in the sand when so many young people are consuming drugs and bhang. We must help them come out of it," Yegon added.
Peter Rono, treasurer of the Kenya National Union of Teachers Bomet branch, and Betty Kenik, a leader of the county's anti-GBV group, noted that many murder cases targeting girls and women—the majority of them teachers—remain unresolved, with investigations having gone cold. They urged the Judiciary to enforce deterrent measures against suspects.
