A 53-year-old man on Thursday allegedly killed his 77-year-old father in Mwanga village, Mwatate subcounty, accusing him of trying to sodomise him.

Residents attacked suspect Boniface Mwakio and tried to set him ablaze. He was rescued by the area chief and AP officers. The villagers later tied the suspect to a tree stump as they waited for police from Mwatate police station to arrive.

Mwakio, a mechanic at a garage in Kariokor, Voi town, said he did not intend to kill his father and was only defending himself against his (father’s) advances. Mwakio and his father lived alone in the homestead.

He said trouble started on Tuesday night when he returned home drunk and went to his bed. He claimed he woke up to find his father, Mwagasha Mwamburi, trying to sodomise him.

Mwakio said that in anger, he slapped his father across the face. The blow, he said, made the old man bang the back of his head against the wall. “I slapped him and he hit his head against the wall. I regret doing it,” he said.

On Wednesday, the father was unwell and stayed in bed. He neither ate nor drank anything. Mwakio said he returned home on Wednesday night to find his father still in bed and unsuccessfully attempted to feed him.

“When I woke up on Thursday morning, I found my father kicking. I knew something was wrong and went to call neighbours to come and help but it was too late,” he said.

Later, when the word of the death spread, more people came and beat Mwakio up, accusing him of killing his father. He alleged that neighbours didn’t like him and were trying to make him leave so they could take his land.

Nancy Mwachia, head of Nyumba Kumi, said it was absurd to claim a 77-year-old man had attempted to sodomise the suspect.

She said the suspect is a notorious drunkard and a known troublemaker, who had been reported to the chief many times.

Mwachia said the old man had lived in the village for a long time and was a respected elder. “He is only changing the story to gain sympathy. His father was a good man. His son is another story,” she said.

Resident Beatrice Ngulu said the suspect had only lived in the village for four years after returning from Voi town. “We thought we were welcoming back a prodigal son but we invited death among us,” she said.

The suspect was later taken to Mwatate police station. The body was taken to Moi Hospital mortuary.

Mwatate police boss Monica Kimani said they are holding the suspect and would charge him once police conclude investigations.