When you’re out on safari, you might think the biggest danger to you is all the wild animals, but apparently the real danger comes when you sit down to dinner.
A Chinese tour guide brutally stabbed a Chinese tourist to death on Monday night at the luxury Keekorok Lodge in the world-renowned wildlife conservancy Maasai Mara in Kenya. According to police, the guide, Lee Changqin, got into an argument with a woman and her husband, protesting that they were sitting at his usual place in the lodge.
“He told them that he could not use any other table and they had to leave and when they refused, he started attacking them using a knife that he was carrying,” a police officer told Geeska Afrika Online.
John Kiruti, manager of the Keekork Lodge, confirmed that the incident took place. “The tour guide who had brought three clients from his country for two nights differed with the couple … over the sitting arrangement at dinner time,” Kiruti said, according to Reuters. “After a brief exchange of words, he drew a knife and stabbed the two, fatally injuring the woman and injuring her husband.”
Police report that the woman was stabbed twice in her chest and ribs while her children watched in horror. Around 100 other guests were also present inside the lodge restaurant and when they caught wind of the unfolding events everyone rushed outside in a panic.
The woman — Luo Jinli, 45 — and her husband — Dong Ya, 47 — were rushed to a nearby treatment center, but unfortunately the woman fell victim to her injuries. The husband was flown to Nairobi Hospital on Tuesday morning.
The tour guide has been arrested and the lodge intends to issue an official statement soon. Police have launched an investigation into the matter.
According to Capital FM, Lee appeared in court earlier today where he was detained for 10 days while police complete their investigations. Lee has been coordinating visits by Chinese tourists to Mara for over 10 years.