The wife of a Kenyan man who lives in Putman, Illinois, United States, accused of hiring a hitman to assassinate her has revealed details of her troubled life in their 22-year relationship.
Speaking to investigators, the wife stated that her husband had threatened to kill her and their children on multiple occasions.
She noted that his abusive behaviour began shortly after they relocated from Kenya to the US in September 2022.
Owing to the constant threats, the wife attempted to leave the country with her children but was stopped by police at the airport after her husband filed a report.
The suspect's wife also claimed that her husband instructed the police to lock her up at a mental facility for allegedly being mentally disturbed.
Upon her release, the suspect apologised to the wife for sending her to the hospital, to which she agreed to make amends.
"The abuse did not stop, however, with the victim saying she had to hide knives from the husband after he threatened her and their daughter with a knife," the investigators stated as quoted by The Messenger.
The wife also pointed out that the suspect lived a secretive lifestyle and often took action without informing her.
She highlighted an instance in September 2023 when she discovered that he had filed a court case to send their children back to Kenya.
The suspect was arrested after he was exposed by a taxi driver who played the role of an informant who was expected to connect him with a hitman to kill his wife.
The 52-year-old suspect gave specific instructions regarding the plan to the driver, seeking for the hitman to inject his wife with a substance that would kill her slowly and painfully.
Further, he directed the driver to ensure that his wife dies between January 28 and February 3, 2023, when he would be in Kenya.
However, the taxi driver exposed the details to the police who laid a plot to catch the suspect with one of the detectives posing as the hitman.
The suspect, who is a former bank manager, was subsequently arrested and arraigned in court. He was charged with attempted murder and witness intimidation.
The court ordered the suspect to pay a bond of Ksh763.4 million and stay within US borders because he is considered a flight risk. He was also directed to surrender all firearms and restrained from interacting with the victim.
