Tragedy struck Upanda village in Sigomre sub-location, Ugunja sub-county, after nine members of the same family lost their lives in a suspected arson attack last night.
The victims have been identified as Ouma Opondo, his wife Wilkister Anyango, and their seven children: Lorene (17), Melvin (15), Sheila (12), Davis (9), Ryan (7), Noela (5), and Leon (6 months old). The family was asleep when their house was set ablaze by unknown individuals.
Sylvester Omondi, the caretaker of the home, recounted the horrifying moment he discovered the fire around midnight, saying that he was awakened by the smell of petrol before he rushed outside to find the main house engulfed in flames and locked from the outside.
He said that despite his desperate attempts to raise the alarm and break down the door, his efforts were in vain. The area assistant chief Robert Odongo confirmed receiving reports of the fire at around 1:00 am, before he coordinated with the police and rushed to the scene, where they found the house still ablaze.
Despite the efforts of community members who had gathered to extinguish the fire, the family could not be saved,” Odongo noted.
He stated that preliminary investigations suggested arson as the cause of the fire, though authorities are continuing their inquiries to determine the exact circumstances.
Bishop Okoth Okoyo, a relative of the family, revealed that the tragedy may be linked to a long-standing land dispute, saying that the family had recently won a court case ordering a local buyer to vacate the contested property. He condemned the heinous act and urged security agencies to conduct thorough investigations to ensure justice is served.
The charred remains of the victims were taken to the Siaya County Referral Hospital morgue, where they await autopsy examinations to establish the exact cause of death.
In a dramatic turn of events, enraged members of the community launched a retaliatory attack, setting fire to both the main residence and a farmhouse belonging to one of the suspected individuals. The suspect, whose identity has not been disclosed, was reportedly apprehended and is currently in police custody as detectives continue their investigations into the heartbreaking incident.
