A 35-year-old man from Kagumo in Kirinyaga County is in police custody after allegedly killing his father with a hammer.
The incident occurred on Monday, May 20, when the suspect visited his parents’ home, which was nearby, and asked for food. His father refused, leading to a confrontation. In a fit of rage, the son returned to his house, grabbed a hammer, and attacked his father, resulting in his death.
Following the attack, the suspect turned himself in at the Kagumo police station. He is currently being held at the local police station and will be arraigned in court in Kangema. The deceased’s body was taken to the local morgue for a post-mortem examination and preservation before burial.
The community has been left in shock, questioning the motives behind such a violent act over a request for food. Residents have expressed their horror and sympathy, especially for the widow who now faces profound grief and loss.
If convicted, the suspect could face severe penalties, including life imprisonment, as stipulated in the Penal Code. The code differentiates between murder and manslaughter, stating that a killing resulting from sudden provocation is considered manslaughter.
According to the Penal Code, “When a person who unlawfully kills another under circumstances which, but for the provisions of this section, would constitute murder, does the act which causes death in the heat of passion caused by sudden provocation as hereinafter defined, and before there is time for his passion to cool, is guilty of manslaughter only.”
