A retired primary school headteacher has been arrested after the Valentine’s Day killing of his wife in Chepkumia village, Nandi County.
Events around the death of Rose Jerono Ng’asura, 53, have left the village in shock, with a post-mortem and other investigations revealing that she was stabbed on the night of February 14 while sleeping.
For the past two weeks, homicide detectives and criminal investigation officers have burnt the midnight oil, piecing together evidence to find the culprit behind the heinous act among family members.
They revealed that Jerono’s husband, Mr Zachariah Ng’asura, and one of her daughters, were at the family home in Chepkumia ward when she was attacked around midnight.
The couple had had prolonged domestic conflicts, police said.
According to the police preliminary report, investigations have established Jerono was stabbed with a sharp object on the left side of her chest.
Pursuing more evidence
“The post-mortem report showed it to be possibly a knife, and we are now pursuing more evidence,” said the Nandi County Director of Criminal Investigation (DCI) Douglas Chikanda.
The father of six is said to have put his injured wife in his car, saying he was taking her for emergency medical attention at the nearest health centre.
However, a relative told the police that Mr Ng’asura went past Kapkangani county health centre and then made a stop at Kapsasur market for almost an hour, as Jerono bled and writhed in pain.
“It raised questions about why he didn’t take her to the hospital that was barely three kilometres from home, and instead took about three hours to arrive at a private facility in Kapsabet town,” the relative said, adding that Jerono was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital.
“DCI officers from Kapsabet have arrested the husband of the deceased and they are investigating him as a prime suspect. They want to know why he allegedly asked his wife to move out of their bedroom and sleep in the kitchen the night she was stabbed to death,” said Mr Chikanda.
Could assist detectives
Security officials pleaded with the public in Chepkumia village to give more information that could assist detectives to establish the circumstances that led to the woman’s murder.
Nandi County Assembly Deputy Speaker Wilson Sang said Jerono’s burial had been postponed because of the high emotions in the ward, with angry villagers vowing to deal with the culprit.
Mr Sang prevailed upon the residents not to take the law in their own hands, but to give room to the DCI to conclude investigations into the killing.
“We want security officials to be given adequate time to conduct proper investigations into the killing and those involved in the incident should face the law, regardless of their positions in society,” said the Deputy Speaker. BY DAILY NATION