Police have been granted seven days to detain the suspect that set ablaze a home in Ngimari village in Embu County, an attack that left grief and shock in its wake.
Seven members of the same family were burnt to death and their timber house was reduced to ashes.
The suspect, identified as Boaz Wanjala Iyati, was apprehended last Friday in his native village of Navakholo, Kakamega county, where he was hiding, and taken to Embu by detectives before being produced in Runyenjes law court today.
The prosecution requested that the suspect be held in jail for another seven days to allow for further investigative time.
According to an affidavit filed by investigating officer Samuel Onyamasi, the suspect should be detained for seven days to enable for more investigations and to forward the case to the Director of Public Prosecutions for further instructions.
The suspect will also be taken for psychiatric evaluation during his custody, according to the affidavit.
He also said that the suspect was to assist in arrest of other suspects that were still at large
Runyenjes senior principal magistrate Josphat Gichimu directed that the suspect be presented to court on January 16 this year to confirm progress of the investigations.
Those who perished in the accident were; Charles Kariuki, 50 and his wife Catherine Wanjiru, 46 as well as their three children — Joel Njeru, Judy Wanjiku and Maryanne Murugi. Maryanne was preparing to sit the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exam in November.
The couple’s two grandchildren — Tumaini Blessings and Prince Baraka — also died during the incident on the night of October 2nd last year.
Efforts by villagers to save the family bearing no fruits. What was so surprising is that no one survived to tell the shocking story.
