A Coffee Sacco chairman was Friday night brutally attacked by thugs at his home in an assault speculated to have been stirred by a recently disputed Sacco election.
Geoffrey Kamonde, who was re-elected as chairman, was shot dead at Bokeira Village in Nyamira County while his wife and four children were attacked with sulphuric acid.
The assailants then locked up Kamonde's wife, Jemima, and children in a room leaving them to burn to death.
Neighbours indicated that they heard screams and gunshots from the house prompting them to rush to the scene, so they could find out what was happenning.
“We rushed to the home and were shocked to find Geoffrey’s body lying in a pool of blood right at the door step. Four other members had been locked in one room by the thugs and were left to die after they were sprayed with the acid,” one of the neighbours was quoted by the Standard.
The five were taken to Kisii Level Five Hospital where the facility's CEO Enock Ondari stated that the burns were critical.
“Jemima had over 80 per cent burns while the rest have between 40 and 60 per cent burns. They are in a critical condition but we are doing our best to save their lives. Any burn that is above 20 per cent is always critical more so when it is caused by an acid,” Dr Ondari noted.
Sadly, Jemima died as she was being transferred to the Kenyatta National Hospital for specialized treatment.
Nyamira County Commissioner Josephine Onunga said one suspect had been arrested and was helping police with investigations.
It is reported that the attackers used Kamonde's sister-in-law to access the victims' compound, by forcing her to knock the door.
The assault comes after the Sacco held elections on April 28 which were allegedly compromised.
