Kakamega shoe shiner beats wife to death, takes body to mortuary

Residents of Kakamega Town are reeling in shock after a man allegedly beat his wife to death before taking her body to the mortuary by himself in a bizarre and tragic incident that unfolded in the Makaburini area near Muliro Gardens.

The suspect, identified as Kassim Asman Wamatsa, a shoe shiner operating at Muliro Gardens, is said to have assaulted his wife on Sunday night after accusing her of stealing KSh 5,400 and his mobile phone. Witnesses reported hearing screams from their house around 7 p.m., but by the time neighbors arrived, the woman was unconscious.

According to reports, Wamatsa transported his wife’s lifeless body to the Kakamega County Referral Hospital Mortuary on a motorbike and falsely told attendants that she had been attacked by neighbours. Medical staff later confirmed that the woman was already dead when she arrived at the facility.

After registering the body at the morgue, the suspect reportedly fled the scene. Angry residents, upon learning of the incident, stormed his home and destroyed property, but he had already escaped.

Local elder Alfred Amambia described the couple as frequently quarrelsome, saying the community was shocked by the brutal turn of events.

“We are surprised that someone we know could do something so heartless and still have the courage to take the body to the mortuary,” he said.

Police launched a manhunt and later arrested Wamatsa in Lunani Village, Lurambi Sub-County. Kakamega County Police Commander Vincent Cherutich confirmed the arrest and said investigations are ongoing to determine the full circumstances of the killing.

“The suspect initially claimed the woman was attacked by neighbors, but preliminary findings indicate she died from injuries inflicted during a domestic fight,” Cherutich stated.

A postmortem is expected to be conducted to establish the cause of death as the suspect remains in custody.