Wife accused of killing spouse in Murang’a

A man was murdered on Friday night in his home in Matunda village in Gatanga shortly after he escorted his family for Huduma Namba registration.

John Maina was allegedly killed in his house under unclear circumstances, and his body partially burnt.

The family of the deceased was allegedly caught red-handed as it tried to conceal the remains in a shallow grave, before they were busted by a close relative at around 6am.

A neighbour who declined to be named revealed that the deceased wife had returned to her matrimonial home after two years of separation.   

She returned from Oldonyo Sabuk in Kiambu County, upon learning that Maina had remarried.

“She arrived and chased away her co-wife, and turned friendly to the husband and the neighbours unlike years before,” said a neighbour.

 Residents in Matunda said the deceased was last spotted at the market centre shortly after 6pm walking home after he escorted his family for registration. 

The police moved the body to Thika mortuary as they took away his wife, the three daughters in Form III, II and Standard Eight for interrogation.

Gatanga Directorate of Criminal Investigation officers gathered information pertaining the deceased's last moments.

Murang’a county police commander Josphat Kinyua said the family will assist police with investigations.

The police, he said, managed to trace the murder weapons -- an axe and a panga -- in a pit latrine.

“In our custody, we have the deceased's wife and her daughters who will assist with investigations,” said Kinyua.

The families, Kinyua said, should look for a counsellor instead of turning physical.

“If investigations implicate them they will face a murder charge, as the law demands,” said Kinyua.