Residents from Kairungu Location in Kitui County on early Monday morning hunted down a man accused of killing his wife and fleeing with her head in the wee hours of Monday.

The 36-year-old man reportedly hacked off his wife’s head, instantly murdering the 49-year-old. He abandoned her body at Mbagwani Village at the side of the road.

Locals were so incensed over the horrible act that they immediately began on a hunt for the culprit.

After 20 kilometers of chasing, they eventually caught up to him and demanded to see where the head was. The culprit cooperated, led them to the scene, and showed them the murder weapon.

The angry residents later took matters into their own hands and killed him.

According to the local chief Daniel Kyumbo, cases of wrangles between the suspect and his deceased wife had been reported on a couple of occasions.

He further revealed that he had seized the murder weapon used by the suspect.

While addressing the press, Joseph Ole Napeiyan, the commander of the Eastern Regional Police revealed that the murder was reported at 2.03 am at Mwingi Police Station in the wee hours of Monday morning.

Napeiyan noted that the woman’s body had several sharp cuts which may have been inflicted using a machete.

“The woman’s head was also chopped off and missing,” the commander stated