Woman whose hand was cut fears for her life

Maria Rioba Musa at St Joseph's Ombo Mission Hospital where she is admitted after her hand was chopped off by husband. PHOTO | VIVERE NANDIEMO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

A woman whose hand was chopped off in Kuria West two weeks ago is living in fear as the man accused of committing the crime is still at large.

Maria Rioba Musa, who hails from Taranganya village, lost her left hand after her husband allegedly chopped it off with a machete on January 18.

Mrs Musa explained that her husband got angry when she delayed to prepare his evening meal on time having arrived home late from a burial of her relative.

Ms Musa also sustained deep cuts on her stomach and head.

The suspect is yet to be arrested two weeks after the woman reported the incident at Kehancha Police Station.

Kuria West OCPD Benson Kyalo said the police are still searching for the suspect who is said to have escaped to Tanzania.

Speaking at St Joseph's Ombo Mission Hospital in Migori town, where she is admitted, Ms Musa said she feared going back to her matrimonial home as her husband would came back and kill her as he had threatened after she reported the matter to police.

“I cannot go back to that home. I don’t know what that man can do to me. He said he will kill me because I reported to the police,” she said.

The mother of nine claimed her husband's brothers had also taken household items from her house and there is nothing to go home to.

Mrs Musa said some of her children have ran away from home following the incident.

Her daughter, Catherine Ghati Musa, who is taking care of her mother at the hospital, asked well-wishers to help her mother with hospital bills as well as help them put up a new home somewhere else.

As of Friday, Maria owed the hospital nearly 70,000 in bills.