University student dies by suicide in girlfriend's house

Onlookers outside the house where a university student was found dead.

Photo credit: George Munene | Nation Media Group

A university student was found dead on Thursday at his girlfriend's house in Kangaru village, Embu County.

It is believed that the Fourth Year student of Chuka University died by suicide for reasons yet to be ascertained.

According to witnesses, the 23-year-old student visited his girlfriend on Wednesday but didn't return to campus that day.

However, the girlfriend left him in the house on Thursday morning and when she returned in the afternoon, she found the door locked from the inside.

Peering through the bathroom window, she was shocked to see the victim hanging on the roof and raised the alarm, attracting several neighbours.

The neighbours reported the matter to the Nthambo Sub-location Chief Rose Wambeti, who then informed the police.

Moments later, officers from Embu West Police Station arrived at the scene and took the body of the learner to the Embu Referral Hospital mortuary for a post-mortem examination.

The administrator said the matter was being treated as a suicide. "The deceased used a belt to hang himself, he had gone to visit his girlfriend but unfortunately he snuffed out his life," Ms Wambeti said.

The deputy chief said investigations had begun to find out why the student took his own life.

"We have reliably learnt that the student loved betting games and he could have killed himself after losing in a game but investigations will reveal the truth of the matter," she said.

Local residents said they were shocked to learn of the student's death.

"We are still in shock after what happened in our village," said one of the residents.