A family in Mumias, Kakamega County, spent the night in the cold on Thursday after their landlady set their house ablaze, over a disagreement on payment of house rent.
According to a police statement seen by K24 Digital on Friday, November 5, Caroline Mukolwe, the owner of the property had approached the tenant last evening demanding house rent amounting to Ksh800.
“However, the tenant, 40-year-old Teresia Ayeng, could not raise the total amount at the moment. Instead, she offered the landlady Sh400 pledging to clear the balance in a few days,” the statement by DCI read in part.
Also Read:
Police say the seemingly impatient landlady who would hear none of her tenant’s pleas for more time to raise the rest of the money, rushed back to her house and came back running holding a bottle full of kerosene and a matchbox.
“She entered the tenant’s house, doused her bedding and clothing with the kerosene and set it ablaze reducing the poor woman’s belongings to ashes,” the police statement read in part.
As Ayeng tearfully watched all her earthly possessions valued at Ksh47,000 go up in flames, the landlady triumphantly paced up and down the scene of the fire in jubilation.
According to eyewitnesses, Ayeng who could not come to terms with what had befallen her, had tried in vain to plead with the landlady, but her pleas fell on deaf ears.
Police officers in Mumias have since arrested the suspect who shall be arraigned in court to answer to her crimes.
