Emotions ran high as bodies of eight-year old Daniel Jackson Chacha and his younger brother David Boke Jackson 4, who were reportedly killed by their father, arrived at their home in Bombolulu area, Nyali sub-county before they were interred at the Makuti public cemetery.

Businesses in the busy Bombolulu neighbourhood came to a standstill as a white pick-up van carrying remains of the two minors in two small wooden coffins snaked through the Bombululu stretch.

Flanked by hooting Tuk Tuks and motorcycle taxi, the van moved slowly before coming to a stop at the bereaved family’s homestead, where hundreds of mourners awaited in shock and disbelief due to the loss of Daniel and David. The two children were in Grade Two and PP1 respectively, at Hope Junior Academy.

A sombre mood engulfed the area as the mourners among them relatives, teachers, friends and neighbours struggled to come to terms with the harsh reality of the tragic ending of the innocent souls whose lives were reportedly snuffed out by their own father who was also reported dead shortly afterwards.

“The kids attended school for the whole week before the unfortunate incident.  We received reports about their demise in utmost shock.  What disturbs most is how the father who is reported to have committed the felony seemed caring and loving to the kids. He used to come to school frequently to know about his children’s welfare,” regretted Hope Junior Academy Head teacher, Sophie Mutie.

She eulogised the minors as children who demonstrated great academic prowess in school adding that it was disturbing to see their bright future brutally shattered.

Manual strangulation

The late Jasson Chacha, 47, is suspected to have first killed the two sons by manual strangulation, before torching the bodies inside their rented single-room house in Bombolulu following protracted marital wrangles with his wife, Mariam Boke.

Messages of caution warning spouses against clinging to abusive marriages dominated the brief funeral services at home and the burial at the Makuti cemetery.

“This should never have happened. If ever you find yourself in an abusive marriage, please don’t hesitate to ask for help or leave and save souls,” area village elder Daudi Ngare warned.

A post-mortem conducted at Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital however established that even though the bodies were found to have sustained between 70 percent to 75 percent burns, the fire was not the cause of their deaths.

The report indicated that further specimens including liver, kidney, stomach and blood samples were collected for toxicology examination to establish whether there could be traces of poisoning before the bodies were torched.

Neighbours said after terminating the minors’ lives, the father then doused kerosene in their bedroom and lit a candle which would burn slowly before bursting into flames while he fled from the scene. 

Two days later, Chacha would be found dead in the remote Lesesia village, in the border-post town of Taveta.

The late Chacha’s Brother James Ntagira apologized to mourners on behalf of the family and said the incident shocked the entire family.

He said burial arrangements for his brother whose body is currently at Taveta mortuary, are ongoing.

He is scheduled to be buried at their home village in Mutiniti village in Kuria East Sub County.