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Couple found dead in their house suspected to have had suicide pact

By ANGIRA ZADOCK November 23rd, 2016 2 min read

A couple found hanging in their house on Monday evening left a note asking the family to bury them together in Murang’a and take care their two young children.

Police launched investigations into the death of Mr Simon Maina Kiare, 38, and his wife Esther Muthoni in Nairobi with the latest reports suggesting that the man could have killed his wife and then committed suicide.

The woman was found with a rope around her neck but with the legs on the floor in their one-roomed house.

The suicide note, which will be analysed by handwriting experts to establish if it was actually written by the deceased, was among the crucial exhibits obtained by detectives.

GAS LEAK

Mr Patrick Ngugi said his brother called to tell him his wife had committed suicide inside their house in Githurai 44 Estate after they had quarrelled, insinuating that the fight could have pushed her into taking her life.

He requested Mr Ngugi to rush to his house, warning that he could also commit suicide if he did not.

Maina then texted his brother contacts of his wife’s friend who could help family members to locate the house. And when Mr Ngugi called back, the couple’s phones went unanswered.

The couple’s children were not at home as they had travelled to Nyeri to visit their maternal grandmother.

It is said that before the incident, Maina had attempted to set the house on fire at around 3pm. When a neighbour who noticed a gas leak knocked on their door, Maina retorted: “Hakuna gas hapa! (There is no gas here).”

In his statement to the police, Mr Ngugi said he found the door locked from inside and the two hanging by the window. He then looked for the caretaker, who broke the door.

Police officers from Kiamumbi Police Station took away the bodies.

SUICIDE NOTE

The suicide note on a foolscap, believed to have been written by the man, was found on a chair in the house.

It read: “We, Maina and Muthoni, have decided to do that and die.

“Our graves should be in Murang’a. That is where we should be buried.

“We leave our children to our brothers.

“God bless you.”

Neighbours said the couple used to stay in Dandora but separated and the wife moved to Githurai 44, where the man joined her three months ago.

They often quarrelled, forcing the woman to leave the matrimonial home for about 18 days.

Central Region police commander Larry Kieng said it was believed the wife killed herself first.