A woman from Shinyalu in Kakamega drowned in the Yala River while trying to escape from police who were conducting a raid on illicit brewers in the area.
The woman, Hellen Kadogo, 35, plunged into the river as those who were in hot pursuit of her watched in disbelief as her body was carried away by the angry waters.
Residents say Hellen was afraid of being arrested following the crackdown conducted by the area chief in collaboration with police officers.
“When she saw the officers, she decided to run away because she did not have money to bribe them,” said the area village elder, Alusa Muhanji.
Residents have castigated the area chief for harassing and intimidating them and for being the cause of the woman’s death.
Hellen’s body was retrieved from the river and taken to the Kakamega County Refererral Hospiyal awaiting postmortem.
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