In a tragic incident, a family dispute turned fatal in the upmarket estate of Mlimani in Nakuru county when a doctor allegedly killed his two children before attempting to take his own life.

The gynecologist, identified as James Gakara, is said to have been opposed to his wife’s decision to travel abroad for further studies.

Driven by rage, Gakara is said to have used a concoction of oral drugs and injections to cut short the lives of his two children, aged three and five, on Saturday night.

Gakara, who is the proprietor of Optimum Current Health Care, is said to have sent home the house help about a week ago,  in what is suspected as part of a plot to carry out his heinous act.

He is said to have instructed his staff to cancel his Sunday’s appointments and reschedule the same to today, saying he was to have a family day out with his children.

Gakara is also said to have sent his mother a huge chunk of cash, before switching off his mobile phone after his wife had traveled to Nairobi leaving him behind with the children.

On the fateful day, neighbours recalled the doctor acting strangely, locking the children indoors and denying them a chance to play with their friends.

They alleged that they heard a commotion at Gakara’s house, prompting them to knock at the doctor’s, door. Gakara, however, did not open the door; and all over a sudden, everything went quiet.

Nakuru County Police Commander Beatrice Kiraguri said police received a report at around 9pm on Saturday from neighbours that there had been a commotion at an apartment.

She said officers from the Central Police Station went to the apartment, where they forcefully gained entry into the house and found the doctor lying on his bed unconscious. The bodies of the children—a boy aged and a girl—lay besides the bed.

Kiraguri said they suspect the minors might have been injected with lethal drugs, adding that they also recovered an assortment of drugs and syringes at the scene.

The officer said they could not immediately confirm the type of drugs the minors might have been injected or forced to take.

“We suspect that they could have died as a result of oral dose or injection but that will be subject to the report from the county public pathologist who is to conduct a postmortem,” said Kiraguri.

In the children’s bedroom, police recovered a sharp kitchen knife which, according to a preliminary report, revealed, was to be used to murder the children if the drugs failed to work.

The police boss said the doctor had also injected himself with the same drug, however, the reaction to his body was slow and he was rushed to hospital.

Utmost professionalism

She revealed that the doctor, who is now in stable condition admitted to the offense against his children, saying they are still trying to unravel the mystery that led to the murder.

Kiraguri confirmed that during the incident, the wife had travelled to Nairobi and was called back after the incident.

She said the doctor who is currently admitted in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Nakuru Level Five Hospital will face murder charges and attempted suicide.

The doctor’s wife is being treated for shock at the Nakuru Level Five Hospital Annex where she was rushed to after learning of the unfortunate incident.

Neighbours who spoke said they were shocked by the incident. James Mwathi a neighbour, said it was unfortunate to eliminate innocent souls because of a family dispute.

“I knew him as a reputable doctor who did everything to take care of his children,  what has happened is shocking,” he said.

Selena Misenya, a neighbour challenged  doctors to exercise utmost professionalism saying it would be impossible for the government to keep track,of what drugs they own or take home.