Police arrest woman over panga attack
Police in Karatina on Saturday arrested a woman suspected of attacking her husband at Mihuti Village in Mukurwe-ini.
Nyeri South police boss Adiel Nyange said Ms Jurliana Wairimu, 26, escaped after the attack on her husband who sustained serious panga injuries on the head, and was admitted to Nyeri Provincial General Hospital’s intensive care unit in critical condition. (READ: Husband lucky to be alive after panga attack)
Police said the arrest of the woman would help with investigations into the attack. Detectives had been relying on a statement made by her husband, Mr Simon Kiguta, 40, after he regained consciousness.
Blood-stained mattress
A blood-stained mattress and clothes were also taken from the couple’s house.
Mr Nyange said the police have sufficient evidence to charge the woman with attempted murder.
Mr Kiguta says he arrived home from a drinking spree and his wife opened the door for him. He gave her Sh250, took off his clothes and got into bed.
It was while in bed that he attempted to touch his wife, but she reacted angrily and allegedly attacked him when he was asleep.
Mr Kiguta, bleeding profusely from deep cuts on his head, says he broke the window of his bedroom and managed to crawl out and get assistance from relatives who live nearby.
His wife had reportedly locked the house from outside and left with the keys.
Mr Nyange appealed to men who are in danger of being attacked by their wives to report to the police so that action can be taken.
“No one is supposed to attack another, be it a wife or husband, because the law will take its course,” Mr Nyange said.
Cases of husbands being battered by their wives are on the rise in Central Kenya. (READ: Central Kenya ‘top husband-beaters’)
According to Maendeleo ya Wanaume — an organisation fighting for the rights of battered men — over 300,000 men were physically abused by their spouses last year.
The organisation has said it is camping in Central Kenya for the next three months to try and get assistance for victims, including helping them access treatment and giving them psychological and legal support.
