Michael Kanuri displays a portrait of his late wife Esther, who was stabbed to death by their adopted daughter at Kihuyo village in Nyeri municipality on Sunday night. The daughter has since fled. Photo/PAUL WANJIRU

Shock as Nyeri woman stabs mother to death

Posted by: The People in National February 25, 2014

Shock has gripped residents of Kihuyo village in Nyeri municipality after a 28-year-old woman, allegedly possessed by evil spirits, stabbed her foster mother to death on Sunday night. Benar Ndeti repeatedly stabbed 64-year-old Esther Kanuri, a former lecturer at Kamwenja Teachers’ College, at their living room before dragging her to her bedroom. Kanuri’s husband, Michael found the deceased’s body with deep wounds at the chest, stomach and neck.

There were blood stains at one chair in the living room, where Ndeti is believed to have attacked her victim. The accused is a mother to one child. Addressing journalists at his home yesterday morning, Michael— a retired principal at the same institution— said Ndeti has since fled, adding that she is their only daughter whom they adopted when she was three months old.

The husband said he had travelled with his wife to Kiria-ini in Othaya to attend a friends’ function and only came back to their home on Sunday, when he left her in the company their daughter and went to check on the livestock. When he returned to the house, Michael realised his wife was missing when he started looking for her. “I got very concerned because my wife cannot walk fast as she uses clutches and could not have gone far.

I searched all over the compound for her in vain,” said a distraught Michael, adding: “I noticed my daughter’s room was locked up and a trail of blood leading to the room. I sought assistance from neighbours and a group of young men helped me break in and found my wife lying on a pool of blood.” He said his grand-daughter and his house-help had gone for a walk when the incident happened. Michael said before they left for Othaya on Saturday, their local church leader told him that his daughter had sent him threatening text messages. Kihuyo PCEA Deacon George Githuo said he has over the years tried to mentor Ndeti.

“It reached a point that she was hiding whenever we met. But I was shocked by her last text messages,” he said. “Baba Vicky, maisha kwa yesu ni mashida (Father to Vicky, life in Jesus is full of problems). This is my testimony to you. I prefer my old ways, at least I can be myself and not be what other people want me to be to make them happy. Put me in your prayers because the demons in me are furious and uncontrollable,” read one of the text messages.

Another text read: “I have so much anger…much anger that makes me feel like killing anyone or anything that crosses my path. Thank you for showing the right path but I have chosen my destiny to hell… And I say this to you in secret, I will make my ungrateful parents life a hell on earth.” Michael said her adopted daughter has been difficult to deal with. “It doesn’t matter what you do for her, she never appreciates,” he said. Nyeri police boss John Leshimpiro said they have launched a manhunt for the woman who is still at large. – By JAMES MURIMI