Police in Ndhiwa have arrested a 38-year-old man for allegedly killing his seven-year-old daughter by forcing her to drink one litre of petrol.
The man has been missing since he allegedly committed the act on Monday evening in his house at Minyere village, South Kanyikela Sublocation in Ndhiwa .
Ndhiwa police commander John Losia said the man was taken to Homa Bay Police Station.
Losia said his colleagues in Homa Bay called and informed him that someone had presented himself to them.
“The man had claimed that he killed his child in the Kanyikela area, around Sukari Industry. We’re detaining him as investigations continue,” Losia said.
Losia sent his officers to Homa Bay police station and took the suspect to Ndhiwa police station upon approval that he was the suspect in the child’s alleged murder.
“We established that he is the father of the deceased girl. We have taken him to Ndhiwa Police Station for further interrogation. We are going to take him to court,” Losia said.
According to the area assistant Chief Javana Abuto, sources revealed that the girl, a Grade 2 pupil, attempted to refuse to drink the petrol but the suspect allegedly forced her to drink it.
“We got a report that the girl was allegedly assaulted after she declined to consume the petrol. The man ensured the girl drank the petrol,” Abuto said.
The child’s body was found decomposing in their house on Tuesday morning. A bottle of petrol was found next to the girl’s body, indicating that she might have been poisoned.
Abuto liaised with police who took the body to Manyatta Kobodo Mortuary.
Abuto said the incident is suspected to have been fuelled by the domestic differences between the suspect and his wife.
He said the couple separated three months ago but the man remained with the children.
“The man differed with his wife before they separated three months ago. The father has been staying with the children,” Abuto said.
Losia urged residents to keep children off their differences.
“Let parents avoid children involving children in their differences,” Losia added.
