Man dies after acid attack: Wife and son in custody
Claris Mghoi breaks into tears following the death of his father who was allegedly doused him with acid by his wife.
Police in Kaptembwo have arrested two suspects in connection with the acid attack on Elijah Matoke, a 52-year-old man who succumbed to his injuries while receiving treatment at Nakuru County Referral and Teaching Hospital on Wednesday December 11.
According to Nakuru West Sub-County Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officer Charles Kamau, Matoke's wife and son are in custody to assist with investigations.
"We initially prepared the case under grievous bodily harm, but following his death, the charge has changed to murder. The suspects have been presented in court under a miscellaneous application and we have been given 10 days to complete investigations before presenting them in court," Kamau said.
At Matoke's home in Kaptembwo, grieving family and friends gathered to make funeral arrangements, struggling to come to terms with his tragic death.
Claris Mghoi, Matoke's eldest daughter, said her father had revealed details of the attack in a recorded conversation from his hospital bed before he succumbed to his injuries.
Claris Mghoi breaks into tears following the death of his father who was allegedly doused him with acid by his wife.
"In a weak voice, my father told me how she (his wife) woke up at 3am, started arguing while going through documents and later left the room at around 5am, returning with a jerrycan. He thought it contained water, but it turned out to be acid," she said tearfully.
Claris recalls welcoming her father's decision to remarry in 2012, but marital problems surfaced years later, including emotional and financial abuse.
Neighbor's gathered at the home of the deceased.
"She withdrew money from his bank account, leaving him to service loans he hadn't used. He suffered abuse, especially when he didn't have any money," she added.
One of the neighbours, Lilian Magomera , explains how the deceased called for help after he was doused with acid.
Lilian Magomera a neighbour described the harrowing scene when Matoke called for help.
"I found him sitting on the couch with severe burns, his skin was peeling and the affected areas were bright pink. We took him to the hospital on my motorbike," she said.
Alfred Masiamu, a GBV activist, called for greater attention to cases of male gender-based violence (GBV) and urged activists to document and amplify the case to ensure justice for Matoke.
Alfred Masiamu calls for male GBV cases to be amplified.
"As we mark the 16 days of activism against GBV, it's imperative that this case receives the attention it deserves and that justice is served for the deceased," Masiamu urged.