Ruai man arrested for threatening to kill mother for being 'old and dirty'

Ruai residents have been left in shock, after a man who is now facing criminal charges allegedly threatened to kill his own mother for being "old and dirty."

Joseph Mburu Ndung’u is accused of attempting to attack his mother, identified as M.N.N, with a grass slasher on September 22, 2024, at their Buruburu farm in Ruai.

According to the charge sheet, Ndung’u confronted his mother after spotting her car parked outside a friend’s home in the neighbourhood. Furious, he rushed home to grab a slasher and lay in wait for her.

As she stepped out of her friend’s compound, Ndung’u lashed out at her, hurling insults about her appearance and threatening to end her life.

"Wewe ondoka hapa. Naweza kukuuwa. Unanuka. Ondoa uzee," he shouted, loosely translating to, "Leave this place. I can kill you. You stink. Get rid of your old age."

The court heard that the accused had been tasked with taking care of the family's livestock while his mother provided animal feed.

However, Ndung’u felt disrespected when his mother defied his demand to stay home and instead visited her friend.

Neighbours who witnessed the commotion intervened just in time to prevent the situation from escalating.

The distressed mother reported the matter to the police, leading to Ndung’u's arrest five months later.

Appearing before Makadara Law Courts, Ndung’u denied the charges and was released on a cash bail of Ksh 55,000. The case will be mentioned on March 31, 2025, for pre-trial.

The shocking incident has sparked conversations on mental health and the growing cases of domestic violence within families.