A middle-aged man believed to have killed his girlfriend in Kimulot, Sotik, Bomet has died by suicide.
The body of Mathew Kirui, according to police, was discovered hanging from a tree near a river between Kapset and Kimulot locations two days after he allegedly committed the act.
The body was positively recognized by the community and family members.
He was being pursued by detectives from Konoin for questioning after he reportedly stabbed the woman with an unknown object before fleeing.
The two are said to come from the same village of Kimulot.
Police recovered blood-stained shoes and a mobile phone belonging to the deceased woman at the crime scene.
However, the weapon used in the crime was missing.
“The scene showed signs of struggle and blood was smeared on the water tank,” a police report states.
The bodies of both individuals were taken to Kapkatet Hospital awaiting postmortem examination.
Some residents who spoke to the press suspect the man may have been involved in a domestic conflict that could have led to the unfortunate incident.
Police are still gathering information related to the murder and subsequent suicide.
They have encouraged anyone with additional information to come forward to assist in their investigation.
The murder of the woman occurs amidst increasing cases of femicide in the country, with leaders and human rights activists calling for an end to this issue.
The Federation of Women Lawyers in Kenya (Fida) has described it as both heartbreaking and alarming.
“This crisis constitutes a severe violation of women’s constitutional rights to life, safety, and security, and reflects systemic failures in protecting women throughout Kenya,” stated Mark Owuor, head of communications at Fida-Kenya.
DCI director Mohamed Amin reported that between 2021 and 2024, a total of 94 cases of homicides of women and girls were documented by the DCI. He mentioned that 65 suspects have been taken to various courts across the country in connection with these murders.
