A 27-year-old Kenyan man who chopped off his ex-girlfriend’s hand after she rejected him was charged with causing her grievous harm. 

The suspect, Joel Okongo is accused of severing the high school student’s left hand in Silanga area of Kibera in Nairobi on April 22, 2022. 

Okongo has also been charged with threatening to kill the victim’s brother after allegedly warning he would chop off his head. 

Okongo and the minor were previously in a relationship but they broke up as she wanted to continue with her education.

The suspect had sought to revive the relationship with the minor during the school holidays but she declined his advances which angered the suspect who started issuing threats to her warning her of undisclosed consequences.

On the fateful day, the minor was returning to her parents’ house after visiting a relative when she was waylaid by the Okongo who allegedly aimed a panga at her neck but she shielded herself with her left hand which was severed. The hand was cut into two.

Okongo then escaped into the slums as the minor fell down bleeding profusely. She was rushed to a hospital from where she was referred to the Kenyatta National Hospital.

Okongo denied the charges before senior principal magistrate Esther Bhoke of Kibera law courts.

He was released on a surety bond of Sh200, 000 and an alternative cash bail of Sh60, 000.

The case will be mentioned on June 21 before hearing starts on August 18, 2022.