A man from Nyairoko village in Mawingu location, Ol Kalou, hanged himself after killing his wife and critically injuring his son on Sunday morning.

Justin Ndung’u, said to be in his late 40s, injured Maina Ndung’u, 29, using the same jembe with which he hacked off the head of Monica Muthoni, 43.

Maina had rushed to the house after hearing the screams of his mother. But he did not go past the door frame as he was cut with the jembe on the head. He was rushed to J.M. Memorial Hospital, Ol Kalou, from where he was immediately referred to Nakuru Provincial General Hospital.

After hacking his son, Ndung’u locked the door from inside and continued chopping his wife’s head with the jembe. He warned that the same fate would befall any of the neighbours who tried to break the door.

The man hanged himself with a rope even as a crowd of neighbours stood outside confused over what to do.

The couple’s other son Peter Njuhiga told the Star the family had been peaceful and there was no sign of danger prior to the crime which was committed around 9 am. Njuhiga, 19, said he woke up and prepared tea for the family after which he left for Captain town.

He left his father preparing to attend the local Kenya Assemblies of God church where he fellowships, while his mother was sorting maize preparing to cook.

He would later be called by a neighbour identified only as Mama Wambui, urging him to hurry back home as something was not right.

But at the beginning of February, Muthoni and her children raised money to get him out of remand after he pleaded for forgiveness, saying he has reformed.

“He is our parent and we had to do it to avoid a curse,” Njuhiga said

He said since he came home the family has lived peacefully and Ndung’u did not show any signs of anger.

The Star was informed the couple separated for 11 years and only got back together in 2015 when their firstborn daughter was getting married. The separation was caused by Ndung’u’s attempt on Muthoni’s life when he cut her on the head. They were living in Eldoret.

Their fights are suspected to emanate from their one-acre land at Mawingu in Ol Kalou that is registered in Muthoni’s name. Njuhiga said when the land was bought, their father lived in Nairobi where he worked as a stone mason.

He was called to come home and have the land registered in his name but he declined, saying it could be done under any name of those present. Later, he started questioning why the land was registered under Muthoni.

Wanjiru said Muthoni loved Ndung’u so much that she defied neighbours and relatives who cautioned her against getting him out of remand.

“Monica resolved to forgive him out of love. When he came to live here, he was very good and we never suspected he could turn into a murderer," she said.

Senior chief Milka Mwangi said the couple has been having disputes but none has ever found its way to her office as all were solved at the police or family level. She said Ndung’u could have been suffering from self-esteem issues.