Man hangs himself after assaulting, injuring his wife

A somber mood has engulfed Namarambi village, Ndivisi ward, Webuye East Constituency in Bungoma County after a middle-aged man hanged himself following a domestic squabble with his wife. 

Maurice Natembeya committed suicide after brutally attacking and injuring his wife with a sharp object. 

Martin Kapilo, the brother to the deceased, said the family is still trying to come to terms with his brother's shocking actions.

He said the couple have had a troubled marriage and that last year his brother attacked and inflicted serious injuries on his wife.

He said during that incident which happened last June, the deceased evaded arrest by hiding in a sugarcane plantation.

‘’I have been cautioning my brother against resolving domestic disputes with violence. See what has happened now. It's a shameful act. His wife is nursing injuries at Webuye District Hospital,’’ the grieving brother lamented.

Webuye County Hospital Medical Superintendent, Dr Simon Kisaka, said the woman sustained injuries on the head, neck and back.

Domestic squabbles

When the Nation visited her in hospital she was still unconscious.

Fred Makokha, a village elder, said the deceased had a habit of causing trouble whenever he was drunk.

Area Assistant Chief, Douglas Wanyonyi, condemned the incident, while at the same time urging married couples to report any cases of gender-based violence to the authorities instead of resorting to such heinous acts.

"Committing suicide is not a solution to disputes. Let us work closely with local administration whenever there is a problem," he said. 

The body of the deceased was taken by the police to Webuye County Hospital mortuary.

Bungoma county special programs director Carol Buyela asked residents to seek help and advice from religious leaders and clan elders in solving domestic squabbles.

Bungoma East police boss Valerian Obore said police have launched investigations into the incident.