A Nakuru businesswoman was stabbed 18 times before being left for dead by the man she trusted most. Florence Wanjiku's fingers were chopped off during the attack by her estranged lover at her rented apartment at Olive Inn in Kiamunyi on Thursday evening.
When she left her home to go and meet the man, Wanjiku was in good health but hours later, she was fighting for her life in hospital.
The meeting did not go as planned after she disagreed with the man, also a businessman and a senior elder at a Nairobi-based church. The man stabbed her several times in the head, back, hand and other parts of the body. Wanjiku is now undergoing treatment at the Optimum Hospital in Nakuru City.
Recalling the ordeal from her hospital bed, Wanjiku said she agreed to meet his estranged lover after he reached out on Wednesday. They agreed to meet the following day at 5pm at the Alps Hotel in Milimani to discuss business-related issues.
A few weeks ago, Wanjiku ended her relationship with the man with whom she had two children. Before they broke up, the two had been running a lands and property company, which has offices at CK Patel Building at the heart of Nakuru City.
"I had just got outside my gate when I saw his vehicle approaching. I was shocked and from that I ended up hitting his vehicle, something l guess angered him. He became furious. I had locked the door but the window was open, he grabbed my car keys, pulled me from the vehicle and started assaulting me,” she recalled.
During the attack, Wanjiku says she felt something sharp piercing through her skin and within no time she saw blood. She realised that she had been stabbed.
She was stabbed in the right leg, in the back, two deep cuts in the head and a cut on her left wrist that nearly chopped off her fingers.
She says they had clashed with her husband over business deals. This, she said, intensified after she requested to end the relationship a few weeks ago.
"I demanded to end the relationship and l also asked him to pay back a sum of money he owed me," she told Nation.Africa.
She said that their security guard was attracted by the commotion, but when he tried rescuing her, the attacker threatened to kill him.
Left with no option, the security guard called for help and a bodaboda rider came to her rescue.
However, when her ex-lover saw the angry crowd charging towards him, fearing for his life, he ran away. Good Samaritans rescued Wanjiku and rushed her to hospital.
“I tried protecting myself with my hands but he nearly chopped off all my fingers. Some of my fingers were fractured. I am scheduled to undergo surgery. I have three deep cuts and more than 10 cuts on my body. He threatened to kill my children after he was done with me,” she said.
Wanjiku revealed that hours later, a neighbour called to inform her that the father of her children had returned to her house and was asking for the minors. Luckily the children had been taken into safe custody.
Determined, to go to the hospital where Wanjiku had been admitted the man lied to the security that he wanted to see his wife and children. His request was declined.
"I think he wanted to enter the hospital and finish me. But he was denied entry," she recalled.
After he became a nuisance at the gate of the hospital, other security guards were called in to help contain the situation, but he fled.
The man is said to have gone back to Wanjiku's residence on Friday morning before returning to the hospital.
“When he came here, my friends were around, so he did not get in. He has been spotted around my house three times. I want my children to be protected. I fear he might hurt them. He should be arrested so that I can get justice,” she said
According to Wanjiku, they have been having a troubled relationship and her lover had been threatening to kill her before the Thursday ordeal.
At some point, she tried moving out of the rental house, which they shared before they parted ways, in Kiamunyi.
She even paid for another house, but on the day she was supposed to move in, the man stopped her from collecting her belongings.
“Despite him being a man of God, we had a troubled relationship. Even my friends knew we had issues in our relationship. He wants everything to go his way," she said.
"The doctor informed me that my hands will be plastered for two months and yet I am the breadwinner. I don't know who will take care of my children during that period,” Wanjiku said.
Nakuru County Chief Officer for Gender and Social Services Gladys Kamuren condemned the incident and called on police to track down and arrest the suspect.
“Gender-Based Violence is on the rise in Nakuru County… We want justice for Wanjiku. No situation warrants someone to attack another or take someone’s life. I want to request the police to provide security to her family and Wanjiku who is in the hospital,” said Kamuren.
Rongai sub-County Police Commander Cecilia Kemboi said that they had launched a manhunt for the suspect.
Rift Valley Regional Police Commander Jasper Ombati said that they had dispatched a team to arrest the suspect.
“A lot of work is going on; he can run but he will not hide. Men should stick to their roles of being protectors instead of turning into beasts,” he said
Principal Secretary for Gender and Social Services Anne Wangombe also condemned the attack and called for speedy justice for Wanjiku.
Ms Wangombe, who visited Wanjiku in the hospital on Saturday, pledged to support her.
“We are happy that the law enforcers are following up on the matter closely and with no time he will be arrested, I am calling upon everyone to report cases of GBV, as most of the time the victims are not able to do that, “she said.
