Life in jail after wiping out entire family

In one night, he butchered eight family members including an unborn child and injured villagers on rescue mission

By Alex Wakhisi

Fourteen years ago, a man in Kakamega shocked the entire nation and the world when he slaughtered eight members of his own family including his pregnant wife without splattering himself in blood.

The killer then lured neighbours to his home where he unleashed unmitigated violence on them. When he was through with the bloodletting, Jamin Mukhobero Muchika then swallowed rat poison but his suicide bid failed as he was arrested and taken to hospital.

Recollecting events

Despite the passage of time, residents of Shianda village in Shinyalu constituency, Kakamega County, have not yet come into terms with what transpired on the night of April 29, 2002.

Recollecting events of that night, neighbours say Mukhobero, 65, was drunk when he arrived home at 3am where his wife Sussy opened the door oblivious of what would befall her moments later.

Instead of being embraced with hugs or kisses, Sussy encountered the ‘animal’ side of her husband.

Instant death

Mukhobero immediately descended on his defenceless wife and then raised a false alarm so as to attract as many victims as possible.

He tricked his neighbours into believing his house was on fire and that his expectant wife had been trapped inside.

Lurking in the dark like an angel of death, Mukhobero waited and whoever came to offer assistance was met the business end of his sharp panga.

The entire village awoke to the news of Mukhobero’s macabre massacre early the following morning. The nation debated and wondered how a man could butcher eight people and injure seven others yet he seemed unscathed or showed no signs of bloodshed on his body.

He was committed to the High Court by the then Kakamega Chief Magistrate Aggrey Muchelule after the Attorney General gave consent for his prosecution.

Mukhobero was formally charged that on April 29, 2001 at Shianda village, Kakamega District, he killed Sussy Mukhobero, Aggrey Akweyu, Annah Ingatsa, Fanice Ingasiani, Evans Ashievere, Oscar Ashihema, Edgar Alusiola, Lillian Matenje and Felistus Mwenje.

He was also charged with causing grievous bodily harm and assault to seven other people in the village on the same day.

Strange sounds

The prosecution lined up nine witnesses who testified against him. One of his sisters, Timina Muhanji, said that Mukhobero had always complained of hearing strange sounds in his head since he was young . She told the court that he had talked about hearing sounds akin to someone hammering on his head.

Mukhobero confessed before the court that he loved his family and had never disagreed with them and that he was not sure he was involved in their killing and denied suffering mental illness.

In his defence, Mukhobero, who was represented by lawyer Juma Nandwa, told the court that when he committed the crime he was not in control of his mind and actions.

Mukhobero was sentenced to serve 14 years for assault and life imprisonment for the eight counts of murder.

He is serving his sentence at the Kibos Prison in Kisumu.