The suspect behind the Embu arson attack that killed seven family members was arrested on Friday, January 6, by DCI detectives.
A magistrate court at Runyejes, in Embu County, Kenya on Monday, January 16, 2023, ordered the police to detain the man accused of arson attack which left seven members of the same family dead.
The family comprising the father, mother, two daughters a son and two grandchildren, died after fire gutted their three-bedroom timber house.
According to reliable sources, the suspect had disagreed with his wife leading to them parting ways, and the woman later married another man in the village.
After learning that the woman had remarried, the suspect sent her a text message threatening to set their family home on fire.
He is however said to have mistakenly set a neighbour’s house on fire, burning the victims beyond recognition.
The suspect then sent a text to his ex-wife surprised that she was still alive even after the attack
After learning that he set the wrong house on fire, he switched off his phone and went into hiding.
Embu East Sub-county police commander Jane Waruinge said the suspect was arrested on January 6 in Navakholo, Kakamega County, after being trailed by detectives.