A family in Gem, Siaya County, is pleading with the government to help them fly in the body of a woman who was shot and killed in the US for burial.
Janet Oyuga, 37, (pictured) and her 45-year-old sister Angela Oyuga were shot inside their home in Seattle last month.
According to a report by Q13 Fox TV, Beverly Jenne, an 85-year-old woman who was living with the two women, has been charged with first-degree murder and first-degree assault.
Police said they responded to a 911 call from the house at around 12.30am on December 19.
The police found Janet’s body in the home with multiple gunshot wounds. Angela had also been shot and was fighting for her life.
The homeowner told police that Beverly had owned the house since 1979, but it was foreclosed and sold in November last year. The new owner was renovating the home and said he allowed Jenne to continue living there during the renovations.
New owner
Angela and Janet entered into a rent-to-own agreement with the new owner and, according to the new owner, wanted Jenne to be able to stay at the house until she found another place to go so she wouldn't end up homeless.
Police said they believed Jenne killed Janet, and then lay in wait for Angela to get home from work before shooting her in the back.
Police also reported that Beverly then attempted to commit suicide.
According to court documents, investigators said they found a note inside Jenne's car that said, "Janet is not a very nice person" and "I had no one to help me." The note also read "I think she was getting ready to evict me, and I'm 85 and have no place to go."
Yesterday, the sisters' relatives said they still had scanty information about the shootings.
Speaking to The Standard, one of the women's sister, Sophie Oyuga, said her siblings had left for the US in search of greener pastures and that an attempt to offer a helping hand to an elderly woman had turned tragic.
Sophie said Angela, who had been in the intensive care unit at a local hospital, was out of danger.
"She was shot in the chest, her ribs were broken and her lungs punctured. She is still in pain but she has been discharged and is recuperating under care,” the sister said.
Angela, however, was forced to seek accommodation with well-wishers after their house was destroyed in a mysterious fire on December 30.
According to local medial reports, firefighters were able to put out the fire, but the extensive damage prevented them from going inside to see if anyone was in the home when the fire started.
Tragic news
Sophie said the family had received the tragic news from an aunt, who was told about the shooting by her friends in the US.
She said her family was in constant communication with Angela and Janet, and that they had spoken days before they were shot.
“When Janet called, she confirmed to me that she was doing well and was in good health. She also had plans of either traveling to Kenya or inviting our younger sister to further her studies in the States," Sophie said.
She said they were worried about rising morgue fees and wished to have Janet's body flown to their rural home for burial.
Sophie revealed that their friends in the US and in Kenya were busy fundraising in the hope of raising the Sh5 million needed to transport the body.
Meanwhile, burial arrangements are already underway in Gem where relatives said they hoped to have a funeral ceremony on January 11.
Janet's family lived in Nubian Estate in Kisumu for more than 30 years before they relocated to their rural home in Gem.
