Man Suspected of Killing Wife Arrested in Mlolongo While Attempting to Commit Suicide

A 43-year-old man accused of killing his wife before going into hiding has been arrested while trying to commit suicide.

Harrison Mutisya Muiva was arrested at a lodging in Mlolongo, Machakos County on Friday after unsuccessfully attempting to take his own life.

"It was reported to Mlolongo police station on 01/04/2022 at 0530 hours by one Margaret Nyambura, a lodging attendant of Miniamax Swallows, that there was an unknown person who had lodged in room number 3 on Thursday and had collapsed at the door with foam emanating from the mouth and nose," Athi River DCIO John Kanda said.

The criminal investigations officer said detectives rushed to the scene where they recovered sachets of poison in the room where Mutisya was found.

Mutisya, who was being sought by detectives for murder, was rushed to Kitengela Level 4 Hospital where he was treated under police guard.

The suspect is said to have hacked his wife Faith Mutinda, 35, at his parents’ home in Kalama, Machakos County last Friday. 

Detectives believe Mutinda, who was an auditor at Kenya Railways, was hacked using a panga, which was recovered at the scene of the murder.

“The deceased had multiple injuries on the head, the neck and the stomach, which are suspected to have been inflicted by the sharp object presumably the panga we found hidden in a pit latrine,” Machakos DCIO Simon Waithaka said.

An autopsy conducted on her body revealed that she died of severe bleeding following multiple deep cut wounds inflicted on her body.

The deceased's car, a Mazda CX5, was found abandoned in Makueni County on Wednesday. The suspect is being detained at Mlolongo police station awaiting arraignment.