Police in Bomet have arrested a man who has been on the run since Friday after hacking his two sons to death following a quarrel with his wife over maize flour.
The suspect, Peter Langat, a 28-year-old casual labourer at Siomo tea factory is alleged to have engaged in an altercation with his wife over an undisclosed amount of money that he had given her to purchase flour for the family
“Following the quarrel, the suspect’s wife prepared food for the family in a hurry and took off to her brother-in-law’s house to take refuge along with the children,” Konoin Sub County Police Commander Alex Shikondi revealed on Saturday concerning the incident.
It is alleged that the suspect followed the woman to his brother’s home where he hacked the children to death using a panga before fleeing into the night when the alarm was raised.
The victims, Boaz Kipkirui, 6, and his brother Elivias Kipkemoi, 4, were immediately rushed to Cheptalal Sub County hospital where doctors at the facility pronounced them dead on arrival.
It is reported that the 28-year-old suspect believed that his wife was planning to leave him for another man. He is said to have warned his wife not to cook meals using maize flour he bought unless she contributed too.
"The suspect has warned the wife that she was playing with his earnings so as to move out with another able man. He warned her not to prepare any food until she also raised the same portion and that if she dared then he would kill them," the sub-county police boss was quoted
According to Konoin police boss, the suspect was nabbed at Mogogosiek town while armed with the killer weapon and is in custody awaiting arraignment.
