Pork, dance on mother's grave, leaves Kakamega man dead

A grave after a previous burial. [File, Standard]

Police officers in Kakamega are holding a man for his alleged involvement in the killing of a brother in the Emukaba village Lurambi Constituency.

Boniface Ogore and Jacob Andanje are said to have attacked their brother Dancan Barasa,36, on Sunday eve of Christmas day for singing and dancing on their late mother's grave.

The deceased is said to have opted for funeral and mourning songs while eating pork on the grave before he was attacked.

He died on the spot after sustaining deep cuts and severe bleeding from the attack.

Kakamega Central Sub-County Police Commander Valerian Obore said they are holding the suspect, aged 33, in a police cell for further interrogation.

The police boss said officers have further launched a manhunt for the other suspect, who is on the run after the alleged incident.

"We have the suspect in our custody, and we are pursuing the brother who ran away after the incident," said Obore.

The deceased's sister, Agnes Anyona said her brother had just arrived from the city for Christmas festivity.

Anyona said her brother came with a half kilogram of pork with Sh400 and started dancing and singing mourning songs on the grave before his brothers came and attacked him.

"He had just arrived from the capital city and went to see his friends, and when he arrived home, he went straight to the grave of our late mother and started dancing while eating the meat. When my other two brothers heard about it, they were annoyed, alleging that it was against cultural beliefs," said Anyona.

She added: "He was attacked by a panga and crude metal rod where he sustained cuts on his head and legs before he succumbed due to bleeding."

Anyona said the suspects claimed that their brother has been having a habit of dancing on the grave of their mother, questioning the reason behind his move.

"From what my brothers were saying, what irked them most was the pork, and we do not know what they had in their thought and perception towards the meat," she said.

Anyona added that her brother had bought the meat after gambling with his friends.

"He had called and told me that he would be late because he was playing a gambling game with his friends, adding that he had meat for Christmas celebration," said Anyona.

The deceased's aunt, Grace Lutatwa, said after dancing on the grave, the deceased gave his sister the meat and Sh400.

"He was sleeping on the grave, singing Christmas carols and some mourning songs, and asked his sister why the Christmas day had taken so long," she said.

"My nephew was seriously injured because the two pounced on him with panga and crude metal. We tried to save him, but we were overwhelmed, and it is so sad that I saw my nephew killed without having much to do," she said.