Mombasa man jumps into Indian Ocean after wife leaves him

A 20-year-old man threw himself into the Indian Ocean yesterday because his wife had left him.

Police said Rufus Kamau jumped off a crowded MV Nyayo ferry in the middle of the Likoni channel at about 7.30am as it sailed from South Coast to Mombasa Island. He plunged into the deep waters while shouting about his wife, who has not been identified.

Mr Kamau, who was gasping for breath after swallowing water, was rescued by divers aboard the ferry and treated at a local hospital.

Likoni OCPD Willy Simba said Kamau was then detained for attempting to kill himself and would be charged with attempted suicide.
“Kamau tried to kill himself by jumping into sea when MV Nyayo was midway from the island to the mainland. The man, who was stammering, kept on saying his wife had left him,” said Mr Simba.

AUDIBLE WORDS

Simba said Kamau could not utter any other statement apart from “bibi amenitoroka” (my wife has jilted me) that is why it took a while to get his name or any other personal details.

“I don’t know if he had a child or not. This man couldn’t speak and was just stammering and the only audible words were that his wife had fled,” he said.

He said Kamau would be taken to court, where he will be charged with attempted suicide.

Simba also noted they were not in a position to tell if he had a mental problem, saying only the court would be in a position to make an order for Kamau to see a psychiatrist.
“I cannot tell if he is mentally unstable. We will arraign him in court and if the court establishes that there is a need for him to be taken to a psychiatrist, then we will take him,” he said.

And in a separate incident, a 35-year-old woman committed suicide by hanging herself with a rope. Police said she was found hanging dead by the window of her house in Ushindi, Likoni.