Policewoman in custody for chopping off lawyer’s hand

A police officer identified as Nancy Njeri, stationed at Makueni Police Station is under custody at the same police station cells after chopping off a Makueni-based lawyer’s hand on Wednesday night.

The officer is reported to have also injured the lawyer with a machete.

According to the victim’s neighbours, who reside at a flat at Westlands Estate, Wote town; the lawyer entered his house at around 6:30 pm but was not accompanied by the officer.

“We were chilling outside the flat when the lawyer came in. We would later hear of someone crying in pain asking for help. At that time, I saw a lady running from his house downstairs from the lawyer’s second-floor room,” said Peterson Lugogo, a neighbour.

He added that the caretaker monitoring the flats heard the cries and rushed to close the main gate before the lady could escape. The officer was carrying a handbag that was also taken and handed over to police later.

Another resident at this flat read something fishy in the incident. She said she saw the lady officer escape from the room with a machete but when the gate was shut she came back and threw the items back to the lawyer’s house.

It was at this time the officer made a phone call and the Makueni Police Station ward commander came with his personal vehicle and whisked her away.

"This lady was running up and down after hacking Masaku, she was trying to escape but the guard closed the gate, the lady made a call and the OCS came for her, he did not even bother about the injured person," Milka Nthenya narrated.

The lawyer, Onesmus Masaku was found lying in a pool of blood with his right hand loosely hanging. The scene paints a picture of someone who survived a near-death confrontation.  The floor was soaked in blood after he received first aid and rushed to the hospital.

“I called for an ambulance that came with a medic from Makueni referral hospital, the lawyer was given first aid since he was profusely bleeding,” added Mr Lugogo

Speaking to journalists, Makueni Sub County Police Commander Timothy Maina noted that the police have launched investigations into the matter. He said he was not aware if the officer was in love with the lawyer saying investigators will dig-deeper into the matter.

Maina has maintained that the cause of the attack is yet to be established adding that the woman will be arraigned in court tomorrow.

“We can’t tell what made the attack to happen, whether it is a love triangle, or whatever. This is a matter under investigations,” said Maina

Law Society of Kenya Chairman Lower Eastern Justus Mutisya have led the lawyers in calling for the investigating officials to speed up their investigation in a bid to serve justice. He said they will not allow the police to alter any reports as they had earlier tried by claiming that the lawyer had attempted to rape the woman.

Justus has noted that lawyers in the area have been having a good working relationship with police officers and this one incident should not bring bad blood.

He has maintained that as lawyers they will stand firm for their friend to the last minute to ensure that he gets justice.

Makueni Referral Hospital Medical Superintendent Joseph Masila said they received the patient in a bad state, took him to theatre, but referred him to Kenyatta National Hospital for specialised treatment.