Family murder that rocked Kawaida village

Residents are overcome by grief in Kawaida village, Kiambu County after viewing the body of Monicah Wairimu yesterday morning. [George Njunge, Standard]

As the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence came to a close, a sleepy village in Kiambu yesterday woke up to a horror of a man who allegedly slit his wife’s throat in the early morning hours.

Kawaida village woke up to find Monicah Wairimu, 48, slumped in a pool of blood with a slit open throat and a bloody kitchen knife, presumably the killer weapon, by her side.

When they poured in, villagers found her husband, John Mwangi, 56, attempting to hang himself inside the house. They stopped his mission and reported the matter to the police.

Peter Mwangi, the couple’s neighbour said the man was a drunk who was known for his short temper. 

”We once saved Monica from her husband after he tried to throw her in an open well. She would have died then, were it not for me and two other men. Just a week ago, Mwangi followed Monica to the market and beat her up in the public glare,” Mwangi regretted.

Martha Wanjiru, Mwangi’s sister, who was among the first people to arrive at the scene said the couple has nine children.

Inside the house, 10 policemen manned the handcuffed Mwangi before taking him away as members of the public bayed for his blood.

More policemen manned the gate as the crowd threatened to break in to “deal with Mwangi.” 

A visibly drunk and handcuffed Mwangi sat pensively on a chair talking incoherently and hurling insults at everyone in the room.

Kiambaa Officer Commanding Police Division Michael Muchiri said Mwangi took advantage of the heavy rains pounding the area to carry out the heinous act in the dead of the night.

Muchiri said the suspect will be arraigned in court while the body of the deceased was transferred to Kihara Hospital mortuary in Kiambu. 

Muchiri further said Kawaida village was under police watch as there have been rising cases of drug and substance abuse.