By Karim Were
Police in Kitui County have launched a murder investigation following the death of a 32-year-old secondary school teacher, with detectives alleging that what initially appeared to be a road accident may have been a carefully staged crime.
The victim, Hellen Ngindu Matuvi, a teacher at Itiko Secondary School, died after sustaining a fatal injury while travelling with her husband on a motorcycle in the Nguni Drift area of Mutitu North Sub-County.
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According to investigators, the couple had stopped along the roadside during their journey when the husband allegedly attacked Hellen with a sharp object, inflicting a serious wound near her left ear that caused severe bleeding.
Detectives believe the suspect then attempted to disguise the incident as a motorcycle accident by pushing the bike into a nearby drift to mislead investigators.
Members of the public who arrived at the scene rushed the injured teacher to Mutitu Mission Hospital. The husband accompanied her and reportedly sought treatment himself, claiming both had been involved in an accident.
However, police say inconsistencies in his account, together with evidence collected from the scene, led detectives to arrest him as the prime suspect in the case.
Despite efforts by medical personnel, Hellen was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital. Her body was later transferred to Mutitu Sub-County Hospital Mortuary, where a post-mortem examination is expected to determine the exact cause of death.
Investigators are continuing to examine the circumstances surrounding the incident, including the possible motive, as the suspect remains in police custody.
The death has sent shockwaves through Mutitu North and the local education community, with colleagues, students and residents mourning the loss of a teacher whose life was cut short under tragic circumstances.
Separate Investigation in Kwale
Meanwhile, police in Kwale County are also investigating the sudden death of 72-year-old tour driver Daniel Mkupe.
According to his family, Mkupe returned home from a work assignment in Tsavo East National Park complaining of severe stomach pain. After taking pain medication, he went to rest but was later found unresponsive.
His body has been taken for a post-mortem examination as investigators work to establish the cause of death.
Both cases remain under active investigation as authorities seek answe
rs for the grieving families.
