A family in Terati is mourning the death of 35 year old Cleophas Oisso, whose life ended after days of tension at home linked to a dispute over dowry.
Cleophas was found dead after reportedly facing growing pressure from his wife to pay her dowry formally. Family members say the couple had lived peacefully for about eight years before problems began.
Relatives explained that the situation changed after Cleophas’s wife started attending a church in their village. According to people close to the family, she was advised by her pastor that their marriage was not recognised because dowry had not been paid.
The woman allegedly told her husband that the pastor said their union was sinful and not blessed by God unless the dowry issue was settled immediately. This advice, family members say, caused stress and frequent arguments at home.
Cleophas’s brother, Venchalivin Silayo, confirmed that religious pressure played a role in the conflict. He said his brother became overwhelmed and struggled to cope with the demands placed on him.
Silayo urged married couples to be careful about the teachings they follow from religious leaders. He said not every message given by a pastor should be followed without thinking, especially when it affects family peace.
He also said Cleophas could have sought guidance from elders or parents when the pressure became too much. According to him, family elders often help calm tense situations and offer practical solutions.
A family friend later revealed that Cleophas’s widow admitted to pushing her husband to pay the dowry. She reportedly said she had moved to another church where she was told that a home without dowry payment could not receive God’s blessings.
The woman believed that once the dowry was paid, peace and blessings would come to their marriage. Sadly, the pressure and stress appeared to deeply affect Cleophas.
Following the incident, family members and community leaders have called on religious leaders to be careful with the advice they give to couples. They urged pastors to understand individual family situations to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
