Kiambu Man Detained in Hospital over Bill Suffers Burns after Acid Attack while Trying to Escape
- A male patient is nursing burn injuries at Thika Level 5 Hospital after an acidic chemical, as he strived to sneak out
- Patrick Kinyanjui, 35, had been detained at the facility over an unpaid medical bill, and with no hope of settling it, he resorted to sneaking
- His ill-fated mission resulted in a pursuit by the hospital staff, who are said to have poured the chemical on him
Kai Eli, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings more than three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.
A patient has been readmitted to Thika Level 5 Hospital after sustaining serious burns.
Source: Twitter
Citizen TV reports that the patient was poured an unknown acidic chemical on while trying to escape from the facility.
Thirty-five-year-old Patrick Kinyanjui has been detained in the hospital due to an unsettled bill after undergoing surgery following stomach-related complications.
Why Thika Level 5 Hospital patient tried sneaking
According to sources, Kinyanjui resorted to sneaking out of the hospital after projecting his prolonged stay in hospital, as he did not anticipate the offsetting of the heavy hospital bill soon.
His mission would, however, be ill-fated, as the hospital staff got wind of his escape plan.
A cleaner spotted him and informed other staff members within the hospital.
They ran after him, after which they reportedly poured the chemical on him, injuring him severely across the body.
"We want justice. It is unfair to have somebody burnt, yet he was not admitted for burns. We want to know who burnt him. He has been injured severely, from his neck downwards. He was spared in the face only," his kin said.
The incident was confirmed by Thika sub-county police commander Lawrence Muchangi, who said the chemical used in the attack was yet to be established.
He revealed that investigators were already on course to unravel the matter.
"It is said that the victim was burnt with an unknown chemical while in hospital. Investigations have already begun," said Muchangi.
The incident came a few days after another tragic one at Nairobi's Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH).
How KNH patient met his death
It was on July 18 when a patient inside a ward was killed by another resident patient.
Edward Maingi Ndegwa was confined to Ward 7B when the attacker set in to kill him.
He was found with a deep cut on the neck.
To be arrested as the main suspect was Kennedy Kalombotole, who boarded in a ward adjoining the deceased's.
Source: Twitter
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) recovered a knife used in the murder.
Which other patient was killed at KNH?
The detectives established that the suspect had been involved in another murder within the same ward five months ago.
Kalombotole was accused of killing Gilbert Kinyua in February this year.
The suspect had been living at KNH after the hospital management could not trace his family members.
His last admission leading up to the tragedies was in December last year.
He had previously been admitted in intervals as of June 2022.
Despite Kinyua's murder, the DCI allowed KNH to continue hosting Kalombotole as investigations into Kinyua's murder concluded.
He would later allegedly undertake the second murder before the first one was resolved.
Proofreading by Asher Omondi, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
