Elderly woman arrested for allegedly hacking husband to death

By Fred Kibor

ELGEYO, KENYA: Police in Elgeyo/Marakwet County have arrested an elderly woman who allegedly hacked her 64-year-old husband to death with an axe after a domestic squabble.

The woman, 60, from Kararia village in Marakwet East District is reported to have had a disagreement with her husband over unknown reason on the fateful day before picking an axe and hitting him on the head. The husband died on the spot.

According to a neighbour, Timothy Kirop, the two were heard arguing at their homestead and the wife was overheard telling the husband that he would face dire consequences.

“We could not establish why they were shouting at each other since they are both old people,” said the neighbour.

Kirop added that they heard the old man groaning deeply but when they rushed to the home, they found the man lying dead in a pool of blood with a deep cut on his head.

Confirming the incident, area police boss Elijah Maina said the woman has been arrested and is set to appear in court to answer to murder charges.

“Investigations into the incident to establish why the woman killed the husband are ongoing while she is in police custody,” said the OCPD.

Maina said the body of the deceased was moved to AIC Kapsowar mission hospital for postmortem analysis.