Woman blind and paralysed due to beatings

A woman has been left paralysed and blind after allegedly being beaten by her husband of six years.

Beth Wambui, 29, says she is now living in fear after her husband issued death threats if she ever discloses his whereabouts.

The incident allegedly took place three weeks ago at her Embakasi home but Ms Wambui kept it under wraps until neighbours waded into the matter.

The once lively mother of two is now a shell of herself as she is bedridden and needs help to do almost everything.

Wambui's speech is now impaired and reduced to that of a toddler, with those around her struggling to get exactly what she is saying.

"You can't hear her. It is like she is swallowing her own tongue. Look at her... I hate that she never spoke about it," said her uncle Samuel Kihang'a.

The dimly lit room in Bahati belonging to Wambui's sister has now been converted into a safe house and the lights are either kept dim or off as her eyes have become intolerant.

"She is totally blind. The doctor told us she has a clot in her brain. When she was hit by her husband, her skull fractured and the brain mixed with blood," said Kihang'a covering his face.

Wambui said it was not the first time her husband had beat her up so ruthlessly. "He once beat me up and when he realised it was bad, he gave me money to go to hospital."

Wambui said on the fateful day, her husband came back from his usual errands and beat her up in the presence of their 11-year-daughter.

Neighbours informed her uncle about it and had her attended to. Kihang'a said Wambui had never hinted of her tribulations.

But Wambui's husband claims his wife came home that fateful day drunk and that she was probably beaten up by her drinking mates.

A doctor's report showed Wambui suffered trauma and head injuries that left half of her brain badly damaged, which in turn tampered with her eyesight and led to paralysis.