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Julia Wairimu, murder case woman escapes lynch mob in Kenya

By staff 15/02/2012 20:12:00

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Julia Wairimu, murder case woman escapes lynch mob in Kenya

A woman accused of trying to kill her husband has said she ran away from her home to escape from a lynch mob.

Ms Julia Wairimu, who denied trying to kill Simon Kiguta Mwangi on February 7, told a court that she ran away to safety after some people came knocking on her door on the night of the incident.

“I did not escape to avoid being taken into custody. I ran away from the people who came knocking on my door, fearing for my life,” Ms Wairimu told Mukurweini principal magistrate Felix Kombo, who released her on bond.

The prosecutor had told the court that Ms Wairimu escaped after committing the offence and that it had taken the police a lot of time and effort to trace and arrest her.

The court was told that the accused attempted to take the life of her husband by cutting him on the head at their home in Muthambi Village in Mihuti, Mukurweini.

Mr Mwangi was injured critically and is admitted to Nyeri Provincial General Hospital.

The prosecution did not oppose the release of the accused on bond, but asked that the terms be reasonable in accordance with the seriousness of the charges.

Mr Kombo ruled that the accused was eligible to be released on bond despite the serious nature of the charges and said that the court would not be influenced by factors outside court.
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“We are not going to be influenced by what we have seen. The police have not produced any item of evidence that the accused person evaded arrest,” he ruled.

He released Ms Wairimu on a bond of Sh500,000 with one surety in similar amount or an alternative cash bail of Sh30,000.

Public interest

The case was fixed for hearing on March 21 with a mention on February 29.

On Tuesday, Ms Wairimu looked more composed and at ease than during her first appearance in court on Monday when she failed to take a plea due to the absence of the principal magistrate.

The case has attracted huge public interest, with Mr Mwangi still admitted to hospital.

He has since blamed his wife for the attack in which he says she slashed him on the head with a panga as he slept after coming home drunk on the night of February 7.