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By Virginia Siebella
A suspected love affair ended in tragedy in Machakos County on Monday afternoon, leaving two people dead in separate but linked incidents.
The 1:00 p.m. incident occurred at Mwanyani village, about two kilometres from Machakos town along the Machakos–Kitui road, when a man allegedly attacked and killed his lover, 22-year-old Susan Nyaboke, before being lynched by an angry mob.
According to police reports, Nyaboke, an employee of Inspire Credit, a microfinance firm based in Machakos town, had travelled to the area to visit a potential client when she was accosted by the suspect — believed to be the father of her child. The two are said to have recently fallen out.
Witnesses said the man, armed with a panga and two knives, attacked Nyaboke, slashing her on the neck and killing her instantly. Enraged residents responded swiftly, cornering the suspect and beating him before setting him ablaze just metres from where the woman’s body lay.
Confirming the incident, Machakos DCIO Nzioka Singi said officers recovered a panga and two knives from the suspect’s bag. He noted that although the man did not have identification documents, preliminary investigations indicate he might have been a student from a local college.
“I received a call about the murder and rushed to the scene. We found the woman had been slashed at the neck and died on the spot. The suspect also succumbed to mob justice shortly after,” said Singi.
Allan Musembi, the Machakos County Bodaboda Chairperson and an eyewitness, said he was alerted that a woman had been attacked while boarding a motorcycle. “On arrival, I found her body lying by the roadside, and on the opposite side was the man’s body, who had been lynched by the mob,” he said.
A colleague of the deceased, Jackline Wambui, said the attack happened as they were about to return to their office. She recounted that Nyaboke had earlier expressed fear for her life, claiming the man had threatened to kill her.
“As we walked to meet a new client, the man approached and spoke briefly with Susan before she excused herself, saying they would talk later. Moments later, he struck,” said Wambui.
Members of the public condemned the killing, urging individuals facing relationship challenges to seek help or walk away instead of resorting to violence.
The bodies of the two were moved to the Machakos Level Five Referral Hospital mortuary as investigations continue.
