Stray leopard injures five in Maragua

Residents of Ngaa ini village in Maragua gather to see a leopard that was killed after injuring five people. [Boniface Gikandi/Standard]

Five people in Ngaa-ini village were injured during an attempt to rescue a resident who had been mauled by a leopard. The five are admitted to Maragua District Hospital.

The leopard charged at them after it was chased from its hide out in Maragua Ridge village. A victim, Esbon Mwangi, speared the animal to save his father, Ephantus Mburu, who was being mauled after he was pulled down from a tree where he had climbed for safety.

“I speared the animal before it charged at me but managed to wrest it on the ground before I squeezed its throat and immobilised it,” said Mwangi.

It was later killed by the public and guarded before the authorities were informed. Residents have called on Kenya Wildlife Service to cater for the cost of treatment and compensate the victims.