Man commits suicide at in-laws' home after wife refuses to return

A middle aged man committed suicide near his in-laws' house in Elgeyo Marakwet County where he had gone to return his wife who had fled their matrimonial home after a family feud.

The body of Daniel Chesang was found dangling from a tree near his in-laws’ house in Anin village, Keiyo North sub-county throwing the village into shock.

Locals said Mr Chesang arrived in Anin village from his Baringo County home, with an intention of taking home his wife who left him and went to her parents two weeks ago, but committed suicide under circumstances that authorities said are still unclear.

Eziline Kemboi, a neighbor told The Standard that the wife of the deceased identified as Mercy Jepkemoi came back to live with her brother in Anin village after allegedly quarrelling with Mr Chesang in Baringo.

Ms Kemboi said Mr Chesang had come to Anin in November to ask his estranged wife to go with him to their Kabartonjo home, but the wife refused.

“The couple would quarrel whenever the husband came to ask the wife to back to her matrimonial home. The deceased came in November and they stayed at his brother in-laws house for a week but the wife declined to return to Baringo,” the neighbor said.

She explained: “They traded harsh words at the brother-in-law’s house when the deceased husband came here on Sunday and were chased away. They went to live with a neighbor and further quarreled in the neighbour’s house and were chased away. They went back to their brother’s house on Monday, and in the evening the husband was overheard saying he was going away and he will never come back again.”

According to neighbours, Ms Jepkemoi who is aged 24 and a mother of a five-year-old boy had vowed never to return to Baringo.

Ms Kemboi said the body was discovered dangling from a tree in a thicket near his brother-in-law’s house.

Keiyo North administration police commander Joseph Biwott, while confirming the incident, said the deceased committed suicide after parents of his wife refused to allow him take the wife and children to Baringo.

Mr Biwott said Mr Chesang may have committed suicide on Monday night, adding that investigations into what caused him to take his own life have commenced.

“The body was discovered by villagers in the morning and we have been informed that he wanted to move to Baringo with his wife and child but he was denied,” the AP commander said.

He said the deceased whose body was taken Iten County Referral for autopsy did not leave a suicide note.