Residents of Agoro West in Katito, Nyakach Sub-County, were left reeling after a man, Godfrey Onyango, 46, allegedly committed suicide in his mother-in-law’s backyard. The man, originally from Ugenya in Siaya County, reportedly hanged himself on a tree behind the house of his estranged mother-in-law, Antonina Juma.
Juma disclosed that Onyango had endured a tumultuous two-year marriage with her daughter, marred by relentless domestic disputes. She revealed that her daughter had recently returned to her maternal home to escape the ongoing conflicts.
“What has happened is not good at all. Ja Ugenya has lived with my daughter for two years. I don’t know him, and nobody knows him here. They had their differences, and my daughter came back home. He’s been threatening to kill her,” Juma said, urging women to carefully evaluate their partners before marriage.
The incident was confirmed by Agoro West Chief, Elizabeth Atieno Ajwang, who stated that Onyango had visited his wife’s home on Friday to reconcile with her. However, after the wife and mother-in-law refused to let her return to their marital home, Onyango reportedly issued ominous threats before taking his own life.
“The man who committed suicide was a son-in-law to a woman who bought land in our area. He came here to solve differences with his wife, but the mother-in-law refused to let her go back with him. After their conversation, Onyango told the mother-in-law they were risking his life and that he could do anything,” said Chief Atieno.
The chief also revealed that Onyango’s wife had previously reported his threats to the police. When officers arrived to investigate, they discovered Onyango as the subject of a report recorded in the Occurrence Book.
Chief Atieno appealed to residents not to take drastic actions during challenging times, urging them to seek counseling or spiritual intervention instead.
“In marriage, both husband and wife have weaknesses. But what I can tell the boychild is this: if it’s not working, the solution is not to take your life. Seek divine intervention in churches or go for guidance and counseling,” she said.
The deceased’s body has since been taken to the Pap Onditi Hospital Morgue in Nyakach Sub-County, where it awaits a postmortem examination.
