Woman jumps into river to her death over piling ‘chama’ debt
A woman allegedly committed suicide by jumping into a swollen river on Thursday over a debt she had accrued in a merry-go-round, popularly known as chama.
The deceased identified as 23-year-old Sylvia Aluoch from Ongito Village in Uriri, Migori county is reported to have jumped into River Kuja on her way home from the chama where members had demanded she pays the money owed.
Confirming the incident, Uriri sub-county police commander Peter Njoroge said the chama members had threatened to auction her property to recover the Sh9,000 owed to the group by Aluoch.
According to the police boss, Aluoch had boarded a bodaboda belonging to one of the chama members to head back home but suddenly alighted near the river before reaching her destination.
“She boarded a bodaboda of one of the group members on her way home but requested to alight and pick her leso which had dropped. When the motorbike stopped just next to the river, she jumped into River Kuja,” Njoroge said.
The concerted efforts to rescue her proved futile because of the raging water following the heavy rains being experienced in the region as well as other parts of the country.
Investigation into the incident has been launched as the search for the missing body of the deceased continues.