A court in Embu has detained for 14 days a 26-year-old man who is suspected of killing his wife on Tuesday by slashing her with a panga at Iravari village in Mbeere South.
Senior Prosecution Counsel Eric Momanyi submitted a miscellaneous application by the DCI to hold Genesio Fundi for two weeks pending the conclusion of investigations.
Fundi is suspected of killing his 24-year-old wife, Gladys Thara, as their children watched helplessly at Iravari village in Mbeere South, Embu county.
He reportedly cut their house help on the hand, neck and fingers. She’s still recuperating in the hospital.
The motive of the murder is yet to be established. Neighbours said the suspect had cordial relations with them.
Principal Magistrate Stephen Ngii ordered that he be detained at Kiritiri police station in Mbeere North to allow police to complete their investigations.
Momanyi told the magistrate sitting at the Siakago law courts that the accused person’s children aged 5 and 9 are principal witnesses to the crime and the respondent could harm them if released on bond.
The prosecutor further told court that preliminary investigations indicate that the community is angered by the actions of the accused person and could harm him if released.
Fundi opposed the detention application saying he was feeling unwell and had not eaten for days.
He added that he is on medication after he had sought treatment at the Embu level five hospital.
The magistrate, however, dismissed his plea to be released on bond and allowed the prosecution's miscellaneous application to detain him.
The magistrate observed that despite the fact that the accused person has a constitutional right to be accorded bond terms, there are circumstances when the right can be denied with supporting reasons such as those outlined by the prosecution.
Ngii noted that the respondent can still get medication while in custody and ordered Kiritiri police station OCS to ensure the suspect gets appropriate medication while in custody.
