A chief in Kitui suffered serious injuries when he was attacked by a panga-wielding brewer during a crackdown on traditional alcohol.
Chief Stephen Kitheka of Nzanzeni location in Tseikuru, Mwingi North sub-county, was slashed on forehead and hand by a panga-wielding brewer of mawa.
Tseikuru assistant county commissioner James Njoroge confirmed the attack on the administrator, saying he suffered severe injuries.
Njoroge said the attack happened in Mwangeni sub-location early in the morning during a raid at the home of the alleged brewer.
The chief had stormed the distiller's home at around 6 am on Tuesday morning.
Njoroge said the chief was slashed on the forehead and the right hand. The bleeding chief was rushed to Tseikuru Level 4 Hospital where he was treated for the gashing wounds and discharged.
The suspected mawa brewer who attacked the chief later showed up at Tseikuru police station on Tuesday, surrendered and was booked into police cells.
Assistant county commissioner Njoroge explained that on Monday, chief Katheka got a tip from members of the pubic that the suspect was in the business of making illicit brews and he planned an early Tuesday morning raid at her home.
“The chief went to the home of the suspected mawa brewer in the company of assistant chief Nancy Muthengi, but his pleas to the woman to open the door were met with harsh words from the suspect,” he said.
The chief insisted that the woman must open the door for him to search the house for the illicit brew.
But the suspect became violent and suddenly bolted out of the house armed with a panga and attacked the chief. The attacker then fled to the bushes. But she later turned herself up at the police station.
The subcounty administrator said after he was informed of the incident, he called the police from Tseikuru who visited the scene and took the injured chief, who was bleeding profusely, to hospital.
Njoroge said that after the chief was discharged he proceeded to Tseikuru police station where he recorded a statement with the police alongside people who witnessed the attack.