Man goes blind after acid attack by cousin over inheritance
A middle-aged man is nursing serious wounds at a Voi hospital in Taita Taveta county after his cousin poured acid on his face due to wrangles over inheritance.
Kelvin Wachira, 30, also lost his eyesight after the attack and is being treated at St Joseph Shelter of Hope Hospital.
Speaking on his hospital bed, Mr Wachira said his cousin and some of his family members were unhappy with a resolution made by their family to make him the caretaker of his grandfather’s house.
He said efforts to resolve the matter led to the attack.
“I had gone to my cousin’s house to solve the misunderstanding between us. Unfortunately he decided to pour acid on me,” he said.
He said after the death of his father and grandfather, the family gave him the mandate of looking after the property.
He said his mother and siblings were against the family’s decision but eventually agreed after persuasion from his aunts and uncles.
COLLECTING RENT
“After a short while an aunt who seemed not to agree with the rest came and demanded that I stop collecting rent from tenants. She also told me to vacate the house immediately,” he narrated.
He said the same aunt reported the matter to local administration leaders who asked them to solve the matter as a family.
Wachira is however pleading for justice as his attacker is yet to be arrested by police.
His sister, Linet Mukami, said they were fearing for his brother’s life as the attacker is still roaming freely around Sikujua area in Voi.
“Our friends have told us that the attacker is saying he wanted to kill my brother. That means he might go on with his mission since he did not succeed in killing him,” she said.
Ms Mukami asked the security agents and other stakeholders to help them get justice for her brother.
“My brother’s life has been ruined. We don’t have money to fight for justice in court. We are even unable to pay his hospital bill,” she added.
Voi OCPD Joseph Chesire said police have launched investigations into the incident.
He however said the suspect will be arrested once they receive a P3 form from the doctor who treated the victim.
“We will then know what charges to press on the suspect,” the OCPD said.
