Man accused of beating wife to death in Kahawa Sukari, Nairobi

An undated picture of Beryl Adhiambo Ouma, who is said to have died in a case of domestic violence in her Kahawa Sukari house in Nairobi. PHOTO | COURTESY

What you need to know:

  • Neighbours said Beryl Adhiambo Ouma was heard screaming and calling for help for hours but that nobody came to her rescue.
  • Ruiru divisional police commander James Ng'etich said Ms Adhiambo’s life could have been saved by the neighbours had they not ignored her distress calls.

A man has been arrested for allegedly beating his wife for more than four hours and then killing her in their house in Kahawa Sukari Estate, Nairobi.

Neighbours on Friday told the Nation that Ms Beryl Adhiambo Ouma was heard screaming and calling for help for hours but that nobody came to her rescue.

The couple had reportedly told some of their neighbours that theirs were "just husband and wife quarrels".

PHONE UNANSWERED

Speaking to NTV, Ms Adhiambo's father, Mr Douglas Ouma, said she sent him a message on Wednesday night but when he finally responded, no one picked the phone.

“My daughter sent me a ‘Please call me’ but I was asleep so I did not hear the phone," Mr Ouma said in Kiswahili.

"I had to call back [lakini] hakuna mtu alishika. Dakika kidogo zilipita na bwana yake akanipigia, akaniuliza 'umelala'? Nikamwambia saa hii ni usiku na nimelala. Akanimbia tumekosana kidogo na nikauliza 'usiku hii mnakosania nini', (I called back but nobody answered the phone. After a short while, her husband called me and asked if I had been sleeping, I told him I had been sleeping since it was night time. He told me they had had a minor disagreement and I asked him why).

REGRET

Mr Ouma said the suspect, Mr Laiko Osuri, later told him that his daughter had been taken to Neema Hospital but the doctor had pronounced her dead on arrival.

Ruiru divisional police commander James Ng'etich said Ms Ouma’s life could have been saved by the neighbours had they not ignored her distress calls.

Mr Ng'etich said the woman's body did not have any visible injuries but during questioning, Mr Osuri admitted that he had assaulted his wife and said he regretted it.

He said he attacked her using a belt. The suspect is expected to be arraigned on Friday.