This archive report was first published on 10 July 2020.
On July 8, 2020, a 29-year-old woman lost her life in a botched abortion in Hamisi Constituency, Vihiga County. The woman, Linda Indamba, had been ordered by her husband, Duncan Lusava, to terminate her four-month-old pregnancy.
According to police, Lusava suspected that his wife had conceived with her lover, and not him. He allegedly arranged for a 57-year-old neighbour, Rachel Muhali, who is notorious for conducting unsafe abortions, to terminate his partner's pregnancy.
At 11:30pm on July 8, Lusava ordered Linda to follow him to Muhali's place, where the botched abortion was conducted. Linda bled to death later that night, police said.
Neighbours grew suspicious the next morning when they saw a restless Lusava entering and leaving Muhali's house in a repeated pattern. They had seen Lusava and his pregnant wife enter the quack doctor's house the previous evening.
Some of the neighbours stormed Muhali's house and were shocked to find blood-soaked Linda lying dead on the floor. 'She was lying unconscious in a pool of blood. Muhali, who had conducted the botched abortion, was seated calmly on a chair,' a middle-aged female neighbour told K24 Digital.
Locals claim a guilt-ridden Lusava unsuccessfully pleaded with them to remain silent to avoid attracting the authorities' attention as he embarked on moving the body of his wife to a nearby morgue.
Residents now want action taken against Muhali, whom they accuse of inducing tens of miscarriages among girls and women in the area.
On July 10, 2020, Vihiga County Police Commander Leonard Omollo told K24 Digital that the suspects are being held in custody at Serem Police Station as investigations into Linda's death continue.
