KCPE candidate’s fingers wrapped in newspaper, doused in paraffin and set ablaze by parents

Police in Kisumu have arrested a middle-aged man and his wife for allegedly burning the fingers of their 14-year-old son.

The minor, a KCPE candidate set to sit the national exams at Kasuna Primary School in Nyando, was attacked on Wednesday by his father and step-mother for allegedly stealing a mobile phone.

Nyando police boss, Leonard Matete, told K24 Digital that the boy’s father, Apolo Onjulu, and his wife, Rose Awino, wrapped the 14-year-old’s fingers in a newspaper, soaked the papers in paraffin and lit a fire.

The boy’s screams of pain caught the attention of a neighbour, Richard Muga, who rushed to the scene and rescued the teenager.

The victim was, thereafter, taken to Ahero Sub-County Hospital for emergency care.

Kisumu County Director of Health, Dr. Dickens Onyango, told K24 Digital that the minor’s condition is stable despite sustaining severe burn wounds.

“The doctors at Ahero Hospital have assured me that he will be able to sit the KCPE test next week,” said Dr. Onyango.

Nyando police boss, Matete, says for the period that the suspects will be in custody, the boy will put up at a Good Samaritan’s place.

“A Good Samaritan has offered to accommodate the minor for the period that he will sit the KCPE exam [which begins next week Tuesday and ends on Thursday],” said Matete.

It is alleged that the teenager’s step-mother had accused him of stealing a smartphone, and when the boy denied the allegations, the suspect vowed to “teach him a lesson”.

Police say Awino waited until the boy’s father returned home from Awasi and told him [father] that the son had stolen a phone.

“It was at that point that the boy’s father wrapped the minor’s fingers in a newspaper and lit a fire that left him nursing serious burn wounds,” said Matete.

The suspects are being held at Ahero Police Station.