• Man collapsed at a lodging after taking poison more than a week after his girlfriend was found dead in Machakos.
• She had been hacked to death with a panga. Police said the suspect fled in her car, then abandoned it.
Image: HANDOUT
A man who allegedly hacked his girlfriend to death tried to take his own life by poison a more than a week after he fled.
Police on Friday arrested Harrison Mutisya Muiva, considered the prime suspect in the murder of Faith Mutinda, 35.
The two were divorced from previous marriages and were living together as husband and wife in Machakos. Dowry had not been paid to formalise the union.
Police say Harrison Mutisya Muiva is the prime suspect in the murder. Mutinda is said to have a child from her previous marriage.
She is believed to have been killed at Muiva's parents' home in Kalama, Machakos.
She had been an auditor with Kenya Railways.
The motive was not immediately established.
Harrison was arrested at a lodging in Mlolongo town, Athi River, a week after the body was found.
The arrest came two days after the victim's car, a Mazda CX5, was found abandoned in Makueni county.
Athi River criminal investigations officer John Kanda said the suspect was arrested after he unsuccessfully attempted to commit suicide.
"It was reported to Mlolongo police station on 01/04/2022 at 0530 hours by one Margaret Nyambura, a lodging attendant of Miniamax Swallows, that an unknown person had lodged in room number three on Thursday," Kanda told the Star.
"He had collapsed at the door, foam emanating from the mouth and nose."
Kanda said police rushed to the scene where the man was identified as the murder suspect.
Inside the lodging room, police recovered sachets of poison.
Kanda said the suspect was rushed to Kitengela Level 4 Hospital in Kajiado county where he was being treated under police guard.
The body was discovered by the suspect's parents; it was on their bed.
Detectives said Mutinda apparently was hacked to death with a panga. The murder weapon was recovered.
An autopsy report revealed she died of severe bleeding from multiple wounds.
The body was taken to a Machakos mortuary.
(Edited by V. Graham)