Woman held after hacking husband in domestic feud

Joseph Chelimo lies in a hospital bed after he was allegedly hacked with an axe by his wife in a domestic feud at his home in Stoton village, Marakwet West. [Fred Kibor, Standard]

A man from Marakwet West is fighting for his life at Kapsowar Mission Hospital after he was savagely beaten and injured by his wife in a domestic brawl.

Joseph Chelimo, 48, suffered serious injuries on the right cheek and head after he was hacked with an axe on Tuesday night.

He also suffered bruises.

The woman, said to be a liquor brewer in the area, is reported to have disagreed with her husband just as they were retiring to bed at around 10pm on the fateful day.

Their children were sleeping in an adjacent house.

Before vanishing

What shocked neighbours was the audacity of the woman who, after committing the act, called one of the neighbours to take the man to hospital before vanishing under the cover of darkness.

“We found him lying on the ground unconscious, in a pool of blood but the wife was nowhere to be seen at the homestead. We took him to hospital and he is still lying unconscious,” said Andrew Rutto, a resident.

Mr Rutto said they did not know what prompted the feud since the duo had been living peacefully at their home.

“At the time of the incident, they were just the two of them in the house and if he wasn’t unconscious, maybe he would have shed light on the matter,” added Rutto.

Area DCIO Jonathan Mwaluko said the suspect had been arrested even after fleeing her home.

She was expected to be charged in court on Wednesday.

“We shall charge her with causing grievous bodily harm and we are still investigating the motive of the attack because she has declined to disclose what exactly happened. The husband according to the doctors is out of danger,” said Mr Mwaluko.

Meanwhile, a Form One student from Virembe in Shinyalu is fighting for her life after she poisoned herself following a disagreement with the father of her child.

According to Stephen Mbalaka, a neighbour, the student had disagreed with her boyfriend over the maintenance of the child born when she was in Standard Eight.

“She went to see the boyfriend in a neighbouring village but returned without the child. After being questioned, she decided to poison herself but we found her writhing in pain and rushed her to Virembe dispensary where she is still recuperating,” said Mr Mbalaka.

He claimed they suspected she might have thrown the one-year-child into River Lukusi.

“We are afraid we might not find the child alive since we have searched all over the river in vain. The heavy rains pounding the region have not helped the situation,” said Mbalaka.

He added the two lovers had been having unending feuds over child maintenance, saying her parents were demanding that the child be taken to his father to take care of him.

Shinyalu OCPD Benjamin Ong’ombe said the student was recuperating at the dispensary.

Mr Ong’ombe said the girl went to the river with the child but they were not sure whether she threw the baby in the river, adding that they had launched investigations.

“The student might have told the boyfriend that she threw the baby into the river but hid him somewhere. We are waiting for the girl to get better so that we interrogate her,” he said.

He also said they were looking for the boyfriend, who had since gone missing, to shed more light on the matter.

County Police Commander Tito Kilonzi said the student would be presented in court after recovering fully and charged with attempted suicide.

He said trouble started when her boyfriend gave her Sh100 instead of they Sh500 they had earlier agreed on.

Elsewhere in Keiyo South constituency, the body of a four-year-old boy who drowned in a swamp in Chepkorio three days ago has been retrieved.

The victim, Amon Kipkoech, was retrieved following frantic efforts after the search was hampered by lack of professional divers and heavy rains pounding the area.

He slipped and drowned while playing near the dam.

Area assistant Chief Edwin Kiplagat said divers from Cheploch Gorge in Kerio Valley were called in to help.

“We are asking the county government to fence the swamp to prevent such incidents in future,” said the administrator.

The body was taken to Eldoret Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital mortuary.

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