Police in Awendo, Migori county have arrested a suspect who chopped off his friend’s hand over money.

The suspect, identified as Josiah Agutu, had been on the run after severing his friend’s arm over a debt amounting to Sh150 at Mariwa trading centre in November 2020.

Awendo Sub-county Deputy Police Commander Jacob Walukhu said police arrested Agutu on Sunday night in Narok where was in hiding.

“Police trailed the suspect and managed to arrest him from his hideout in Narok. He will be arraign once investigations are completed,” Walukhu said.

The police boss said the suspect allegedly attacked 27-year-old Maurice Ouma in his house and chopped off his left arm after they disagreed over the debt.

Ouma’s wife, Joy Christine, said her husband had sold a phone to the suspect for Sh700, and only got Sh550 upfront.

“He had refused to pay up the balance of Sh150 over a period of time,” she said.

Agutu and Ouma are said to have confronted each other at a local shopping centre over the balance before going their separate ways. The suspect returned later to Ouma’s homestead armed with a panga and attacked him.

“After an hour he came to our home and asked me to call my husband, I thought he wanted to pay up the balance. Instead, he pulled out a sharp panga and chopped off his left arm, just below the elbow,” Christine said.

The victim is currently hospitalised at the Rapcom Hospital.