Police in the Kyuso sub-county of Kitui are investigating a tragic incident in Nganda Village, Kimangau location, where at least four individuals have died after consuming a traditional brew famously known as ‘kaluvu’ suspected to have been laced with poison.
Kyuso OCPD Edwin Otieno confirmed the deaths, noting that the victims were among a group of villagers who had gathered at the home of a Muthui Kasovo on Sunday 21 July 2024 for a communal effort to dig a pit for his home latrine. The villagers were served with ‘Kaluvu’ during the gathering.
“When the villagers returned to their homes in the evening, they developed severe stomach complications and were rushed to Kyuso Level IV Hospital,” Otieno reported.
Three of the victims were pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital, while a fourth succumbed to the illness during treatment. Five of the individuals are currently in critical condition and undergoing treatment.
“The information we have is that three people who were helping in digging the pit latrine on Sunday died. We do not have any information indicating that they drank Kaluvu,” he said.
As part of the investigation, police have arrested the wife of the Muthui Kasovo as the main suspect for serving a brew that killed her husband and three other guests and a thorough investigation has been launched to uncover the root cause of the deaths.
“We have arrested the wife of the man who hosted the group because she is the one who served them with food. Unfortunately, the husband of the arrested woman is among those who died,” Otieno went on.
