Man who stabbed wife to death pleads guilty to manslaughter
Mr Evans Kuti (in blue) who has been charged with the offence of manslaughter. After pleading guilty to killing his wife after finding her with another man in their Mombasa home on February 26, the magistrate gave the suspect time to think about his plea before he is sentenced.
On February 26, Mr Evans Kuti left for his Chaani home in Changamwe, Mombasa County, after watching a thrilling final match between Manchester United and Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup tournament.
On arrival at around 10.30pm, he found a man with his wife Anna Kambui, half-naked.
Investigations indicate that when Mr Katuti asked his wife about the man, she replied that he was her lover.
A war of words then ensued between the couple and escalated into a physical confrontation in which she grabbed his private parts.
Due to excruciating pain, Mr Katuti picked a kitchen knife and stabbed the woman twice in her stomach.
The stranger, who was all along watching the fight between the two, escaped as soon as Mr Katuti grabbed the knife and stabbed his wife.
Police investigations indicate that upon realising what he had done, the suspect locked his house and boarded a vehicle to his rural village in Western Kenya.
However, while on the way, he told his relatives about what had transpired and they advised him not to proceed with the journey, but to surrender to the nearest police station.
Police said Mr Katuti surrendered at Mtito Andei police station where he told the police boss what had happened.
The officers at the Mtito Andei police station contacted their counterparts in Chaani, who went to the crime scene and gathered evidence, including the kitchen knife.
The officers removed Kambui’s body from the scene to the Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital mortuary.
A post-mortem on March 6 indicated the cause of death as haemorrhage shock secondary because of penetrating stab wounds to the abdomen.
Mr Katuti was then picked from Mtito Andei police station and escorted to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations office in Changamwe for further interrogation.
Investigators found out that the couple used to quarrel over an alleged refusal by Mr Katuti to take Kambui to his parents in Western Kenya, and to visit her parents in Ukambani for a formal introduction.
Mr Katuti was on Monday presented before Mombasa Chief Magistrate Martha Mutuku where he pleaded guilty to manslaughter.
According to the charge sheet, the suspect unlawfully killed Kambua.
The State said the suspect committed the offence on February 26 at Chaani in Migadini, Changamwe.
The suspect was charged after the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions reviewed the evidence and found that the available material could not support a murder charge.
Principal Prosecution Counsel Nyawinda Kernael said she had carefully perused the file and noted there was no witness to murder.
Documents presented before the court also indicate that Mr Katuti had recorded a confession before Senior Resident Magistrate Rita Orora narrating the events of that day.
"It is our findings that the narration and the evidence on record does not establish malice aforethought on the part of the accused to murder the deceased. Accordingly, we direct that the accused be charged with the offence of manslaughter," said the prosecution counsel.
After pleading guilty to the offence, the magistrate gave the suspect time to think about his plea before he is sentenced.
State Counsel Alex Gituma also concurred with the magistrate, noting that should he maintain his plea of guilty, the confession will be read out to him before he is sentenced accordingly.
The case will be mentioned on April 5.
