Police in Gilgil Town, Kenya have arrested a 34-year-old man on allegations of killing his wife, also aged 34.

Josephine Wangari Kamau, a nurse at the psychiatric wing of Gilgil Sub-County Hospital, was killed at around 5am Tuesday, July 28, police say.

It is alleged that Wangari was murdered by her spouse, James Maina, after a quarrel ensued between the two.

Police told K24 Digital that Wangari and her partner had first argued on Monday night (July 27) before a neighbour intervened and a relative calm was restored.

At around 4am Tuesday, the husband-and-wife started their conflict afresh, the couple’s house-help told police.

“The housemaid said she heard Wangari pleading with her husband to stop battering her. At around 5am, Wangari’s screams faded,” police said.

A few minutes past 5am, Maina emerged from the bedroom carrying their 7-month old son and handed the baby over to the house-help, saying he was going to purchase drugs from a nearby chemist because his wife had “developed a headache”.

Maina locked the door leading to his bedroom, said the nanny.

“The housemaid ran after Maina to ask why he had locked his bedroom door yet his ‘ailing’ wife was inside the room. The suspect is said to have told the house-help to mind her own business, and stop meddling in their affairs,” said Onditi.

The nanny, who had grown suspicious of Maina’s actions, alerted neighbours, who rushed to the scene.

The neighbours managed to break down Maina’s bedroom door and found Wangari lying unconscious on the bed.

An ambulance was called and on arrival to the victim’s house, nurses confirmed Wangari had already succumbed to her injuries.

The deceased’s spouse, a businessman in Gilgil Town, later Tuesday surrendered himself to police.

“He had, however, taken rat poison with the intention of committing suicide. So, we had to take him to Gilgil Sub-County Hospital first for emergency care before we arraign him,” said Onditi.

Wangari’s body was taken to Gilgil Sub-County Hospital morgue.