Eighty year old woman raped, beaten in Taita Taveta

(Photo: Courtesy)

An elderly woman is fighting for her life in hospital after she was attacked and raped.

According to residents, churchgoers yesterday found the 80-year-old woman unconscious in the bush at Lushangonyi village.

Police and villagers said another woman was gang-raped and murdered in the same area in December last year.

The police and relatives said the woman was attacked as she walked to Lushangonyi shopping centre in the morning.

Suffered head injuries

"The suspect waylaid the victim as she was going to the shopping centre. He tied her mouth with a cloth and dragged her into the bush where he sexually molested her and left her for dead," said one of the woman's relatives.

She also suffered head injuries, said police and relatives.

They said the woman was found groaning in pain on the ground  and was taken to Mgange Police Station before being rushed to the Wesu sub-county hospital in a critical condition.

Taita OCPD, Benjamin Muhia, said police are investigating the matter.

"The woman is still receiving treatment," said Mr Muhia.