A policewoman accused of shooting her estranged husband 12 times killing him on the spot has told the High Court in Eldoret that she did so on self defence.

While testifying before Justice Reuben Nyakundi, Lillian Biwott said that on the fateful day of October 14, 2023, she had received a call from Victor Kipchumba, her husband of ten years, who threatened to kill their four children.

Biwott, who was stationed at the Kenya Bureau of Standards office in Eldoret town, said that her house help had also called her informing her that her husband had been making calls to unknown persons, vowing to end the lives of his children.

“It was a distress call. I headed home straight in Kimumu. My husband had locked the front and back doors. I pleaded with my house girl to open the backdoor. She did so and rushed to her bedroom. She was crying and she told her that she wanted to leave,” Biwott recounted.

She added that when she got into their bedroom, her husband who was armed with a knife became violent and started assaulting her.

The couple, the court was told, was engaged in a quarrel for about an hour before the shooting.

“He slapped me while threatening to finish me. I had to hit his hand with the riffle. The knife fell and he picked it. I tried convincing him to drop the weapon but he snatched my riffle,” she stated.

She added, “I saw danger. He was very wild. My life and that of my children was in danger. That is the time I shot at him.”

Biwott recounted that their marriage had been rocked by frequent gender based violence sometimes even as her in-laws watched.

She tabled in court several OBs reported at Ainabtich police station that she had reported her husband for assault and threats to her life.

She told the court that she had to move out of the police line out of embarrassment that she had encountered each time she was abused by her spouse.

“Often, I would report him to the police but his family would convince me to solve the issues as a family. We did so and eventually decided to separate. But he kept calling me and coming to my house. He did not want me to go to work. He would say that I was going to work to entertain other men. He was abusive to me,” Biwott narrated.

When asked why she fired 12 times, Biwott told the court that her AK 47 riffle had switched from semi-automatic to Automatic mode when they were struggling to snatch the firearm from each other.

“Six bullets hit the deceased and six did not hit him. The riffle went from semi-automatic to Automatic mode where several bullets were discharged in a single shot,” she explained.

She said that after the incident, she hid her firearm and went to report the matter at Central Police Station.

“I was shocked. I prayed and asked God to forgive me. I took the knife fearing that my children who were asleep would wake up and find it. My house girl came. I asked her to be with the kids as I go report the matter at Central Police Station,” she added.

At the police station, Biwott said that she asked for assistance to rescue her husband and called her mother to go take her children.

Investigating Officer Corporal Stephen Nzau had earlier told the court that the police constable and her slain husband had a toxic marriage.

“The couple’s house help statement stated that the deceased had called Lilian and told her that he would murder their children. That is what prompted her to leave her workplace, headed home where she confronted the deceased before she opened fire on Kipchumba,” said the IO.

“After reporting the matter, she was arrested and booked in the cells. I took over the matter and visited scene where I found that the deceased had been moved to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital MTRH mortuary. The weapon used, an AK 47 rifle had been collected and taken to Ainabtich police station,” the IO further testified.

The mother of four allegedly committed the murder on October 14, 2023 at Kimumu estate, Moiben sub-county Uasin Gishu County.

Two defence witnesses are set to testify on October 9.