Man arrested for allegedly trying to burn wife's body

A man is in police custody over the death of his wife whose body was found in a burning house.

Ambrose Karimi was arrested three says after his wife, Annah Wambui, died on July 24.

In a sworn affidavit, investigating officer Patrick Wachira told the court that Karimi is suspected to have caused Wambui's death when their children were away before taking flight to an unknown place.

For three days he was in a hideout, and none of the neighbours knew that his wife's body was lying on the bed. According to the police, on the day of his arrest, Karimi had checked into his house in the evening where he spent the night.

In the wee hours of the morning, he is suspected to have attempted to set the body on fire by burning the whole house before disappearing. It took the intervention of early risers to alert the authorities of a burning house. The fire was put out and the house checked if anybody had been trapped in the fire. Everything in the living room had been reduced to ashes.

What shocked the residents was a foul smell from a decaying body of a woman. Blood was also oozing from her mouth and nose.

Karimi was traced and flushed out of his hideout and escorted to the police station, pending further investigations.

The matter will be mentioned on August 19.