The condition of a Christchurch Kenyan woman assaulted and left for dead next to the body of her friend has worsened.
Lydiah Munene, 34, is in an induced coma in the intensive care unit at Christchurch Hospital.
She was listed as stable until yesterday when a Canterbury District Health Board spokeswoman said Munene’s condition had deteriorated, and she was in “a serious condition”.
“We’re hoping she’s going to be all right. She is very sick,” the spokeswoman said.
Munene, a newly qualified nurse, was found in bed in her Avonhead flat with severe head injuries on Monday night.
She was lying next to the body of Stephen Mwangi Maina, 39, a Kenyan freezing worker who lived in Ashburton.
Police believe Munene may have lain there since early Saturday when the attack was thought to have happened.
Munene’s estranged husband, Samuel Ngumo Njuguna, who flew to Kenya on Sunday after leaving the couple’s two children with a friend, is sought in connection with the murder and assault.
The couple’s two children were being cared for by members of Christchurch’s Kenyan community.
A community member, who declined to be named, said a meeting was being arranged for today to discuss a response to the attacks.
Detective Inspector Greg Williams said the inquiry was working with Maina’s family to assist with arranging the funeral.
His body was being returned to Kenya.
Maina’s former boss in Ashburton, Alan Rei, said a service for the man was being arranged for tomorrow.
Williams said scene examinations were continued yesterday at Munene’s flat and at the house she jointly owned with Njuguna in Mairehau.
Njuguna’s red Peugeot was also examined yesterday.
Williams said police were liaising with the Crown Law Office and Interpol “in terms of exploring avenues within Kenya”. While New Zealand does not have an extradition treaty with Kenya, Kenya does have a law that provides for extradition to Commonwealth countries.
Crown Law Office spokeswoman Jan Fulstow said an extradition from Kenya would be the first in some time.
A search of records could not find a case in the past 20 years, she said.
Speaking from Kenya, a friend of Munene’s, Angie Kagiri, said last night that Njuguna and Munene’s house was like a “cold war”.
“Me and her were talking about how far, like, how much she’s gone through in New Zealand, and this was like a clean break for her,” Kagiri said.
“She was happy, even her sons were happy.”
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