Man on the run after stabbing wife to death in Nakuru

A portrait of Amos Njuguna and his late wife Winnie Chepkurui, 41, whom he allegedly killed at their home in Racecourse Estate, Nakuru, on March 7, 2023. [Kennedy Gachuhi, Standard]

Police in Nakuru have launched a manhunt for a male suspect who reportedly murdered his wife by stabbing her seven times on Tuesday afternoon.

Amos Njuguna is said to have killed Winnie Chepkurui, 41, a mother of three, at their home in Racecourse Estate over differences still under probe by the police.

Nakuru East Sub County Police Commander Martin Masika confirmed the incident, saying that they were alerted by a member of the public at around 1pm.

"We rushed to the house and found the woman already dead. She had seven stab wounds on the stomach. She also had several serious cuts on her face. The husband is the prime suspect," said Masika.

The sub-county police boss said that the suspect who does joint groceries businesses with the wife fled the scene after the incident.

"Amos Njuguna, the husband, is the main suspect. A neighbour heard a commotion between the two but didn't think it was serious until she later found out someone had been killed," said Masika.

Monicah Nyambura, who babysits the couple's lastborn Grade-One daughter, said that the suspect lied to her that they had been attacked as they were heading back to Nakuru from Narok.

"The suspect came to my house. He gave me a bag containing his wife's phone, ID card and car keys. He told me that the wife was ahead of him on her way to report to the police," said Nyambura.

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Nyambura, however, got suspicious of why he was handing over the items to her instead of catching up with his wife but before making any move, the suspect called her sister with other instructions.

"He called requesting that I pick up his wife from their house and rush her to the hospital as she was in critical condition. At the house, I found other neighbours who had established that she had died," said Teresia Njenga, another resident.

Ms Njenga explained that while at the scene, the suspect called again using a different number asking to know how his wife was fairing.

"I told him that he should rush back home as the wife was not in good condition. He told me that he was heading to Kisumu and hung up without further explanation," said Ms Njenga.

Naomi Wanjiku, a friend of the deceased, said that the couple has been having differences which made them separate briefly before getting back with each other several times.

"I didn't even know she had come back after leaving for her parents' place. I have learnt with great shock that she has died at the hands of a man she always complained about," said Wanjiku.

She revealed that Chepkurui was the main breadwinner in the house and had intimated to her that her husband was unfaithful.

"Before leaving the house last year, she told me that her husband was seeing other women whom she didn't reveal. She was confident of her suspicions which she said would only be resolved if they had a meeting with their parents," said Wanjiku.

At the time of the incident, their three children were still at school with the eldest being a student at one of the public universities.