A woman and her two-year-old daughter are recovering in hospital after a gun attack by the woman’s husband in Marakwet.
The man, armed with an AK-47 rifle, stormed his mother-in-law’s house in Mumol last Friday and shot his wife several times and injured his daughter in the process.
The woman had been seeking refuge at her mother’s house after fleeing her matrimonial home due to persistent quarrels with her husband.
Confirming the incident, Assistant chief Rose Kiplagat said Valentine Kipkoi, 21, sustained gunshot injuries in the stomach and hand.
The two-year-old girl was injured in the head during the attack.
Rose Kiplagat said the suspect stormed the home at 3 am and opened fire at his wife and went into hiding.
“I have been informed by members of the family that the couple has been experiencing family feuds. At some point, the woman went to live at a friend’s house before deciding to go back to her mother’s house a week ago,” Kiplagat said.
The assistant chief said trouble started when Kipkoi discovered her husband was involved in crime and confronted him.
“She realised her husband is a thief and she began asking questions. That is when a family brawl erupted,” Kiplagat said.
Members of Kipkoi’s family called for the man’s arrest, adding he continues to send threatening messages.
“We expected this young man to go to his in-laws’ with dowry, but he came back with a gun and shot our daughter,” a relative who sought anonymity said.
The family member said Kipkoi has been operated at MTRH after the bullet raptured her sections stomach and intestines.
Kiplagat said the baby is in a stable condition.
