Woman electrocuted after being accused of stealing phone in bar
Residents of Moi Girls slum in Chuka town, Tharaka-Nithi County are demanding justice for a woman who was reportedly electrocuted in a bar on Monday night after being accused of stealing a mobile phone.
People who witnessed the 10pm incident said the 24-year-old, only identified as Mercy, was stripped naked, beaten up and dragged out of the Imara bar then pushed into iron-sheet roofing connected to live electric wire.
She died instantly.
An eyewitness, who sought anonymity for fear of victimization by police or suspects, said a barmaid, ordered electricity to be switched on before the deceased was pushed from stairs to the roof.
After realizing that the woman had died, the barmaid rushed to Chuka Police Station where she reported the incident, claiming that she fell on the roof while escaping after stealing a phone.
ELECTROCUTED
“We saw the barmaid and other patrons beating up the victim and later dragging her out of the bar then pushing her to the roof connected to electricity,” said one of witnesses.
Speaking to media, Chuka OCPD Joseph Kavoo said a barmaid, Victoria Makena, visited the station around midnight and reported that the deceased accidentally fell on the roof while escaping after stealing a mobile phone from one of her customers.
He said the body was picked by county rescue team and rushed to Chuka County Referral Hospital where she was pronounced dead.
Later, police visited the crime scene.
THEFT CASES
Mr Kavoo further said investigations are ongoing and urged anyone with information that could be crucial in investigation to visit the station.
The OCPD, however, denied that the woman was pushed by someone into the electrified roof.
The informal settlement residents have threatened to hold demonstrations to the police station to demand for the arrest of the suspects.
They said due to rampant theft in the area where thieves break through the roofing, many business people have connected roofing of their houses with live electric wire so that anyone attempting to pull out the iron-sheet can be electrocuted.
Last week, a woman was gang-raped and left unconscious and naked in a thicket next to the slum.