An elderly couple was set ablaze in Homa Bay County of Kenya allegedly over a land dispute, Standard media reported.
78-year-old Harrison Ogeka and Isca Atieno, 70, were in their house when it was set ablaze at Kobala village in Rachuonyo South. Although the couple was pulled out of the fire alive they later died at Matata Hospital in Oyugis.
Homa Bay County Police Commander Marius Tum said police had arrested the couple’s son and his wife in connection with the attack and detained them at the Oyugis Police Station. They also found a jerrycan suspected to have contained petrol used to set the house ablaze near the scene.
Residents claimed some of the grandchildren had been threatening to burn their grandparents’ home.
Kawino sub-location assistant Chief Joel Owenga said the couple’s son and the children had been threatening to hack them to death over ownership of a piece of land.
“We made several attempts to arbitrate but the son was adamant,” said Mr Owenga.
Owenga said the rivalry between the elderly couple and the son began in 2012 when the latter demanded a share of land.
The grandchildren confessed to police that they were responsible for the attack