Missing Homa Bay teacher found dead in a well
The late Richard Otieno, the head teacher of Raganga Primary School in Kisii County. His body was found in a well after he went missing five days ago.
Teachers in Homa Bay have called on police to conduct a thorough investigation into the death of one of their own whose body was found in a well on Sunday morning.
The teachers said the death of Richard Otieno, the head teacher of Raganga Primary School in Kisii County, should be investigated and anyone found responsible arrested.
Otieno was reported missing five days ago before his body was discovered in a well at Aloo Estate in Oyugis town.
The well is close to his home and no one knows how he ended up there.
Homa Bay County Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) secretary Patrick Were asked security agencies in Rachuonyo South to investigate the cause of the teacher's death.
According to the Knut official, Otieno's death leaves many questions unanswered.
He said the well where the body was found had a lockable seal.
"We are still wondering how he got into the well. There are a lot of suspicions about how he died," Mr Were said.
He wondered how the teacher could have accidentally fallen into the well if the top cover was locked.
According to Mr Gilbert Kobe, his brother's body was found by one of his sons who had gone to fetch water from the same borehole.
The two brothers had spoken on the phone earlier in the week.
Mr Kobe said his brother wanted him to help him with some work at home.
He then left his workplace in Narok and travelled to Rachuonyo South on Wednesday.
"I was informed that my brother went missing on Tuesday. He left home without his mobile phone and never told anyone where he was going," said Mr Kobe.
His family expected Otieno to return home the same day he left.
They started looking for him, hoping he would be spotted somewhere in his village.
But no one saw him until his body was found five days later.
Mr Kobe said they reported the case to the police.
"The same news was spread through local radio stations," he said.
The police were called after the body was discovered in the well.
Rachuonyo South police commander Lilies Wachira confirmed the incident.
She said a team of security officers had been assigned to investigate the case.
"The teacher was found dead after the family reported him missing. The matter is being investigated," Ms Wachira said.
Otieno's body has been taken to Rachuonyo South Sub-county Hospital mortuary for post-mortem.
Mr Were described the death as a serious setback to the teaching fraternity.
He said the deceased was also an accomplished accountant.
"He used his knowledge of accounting to help teachers balance their books," Mr Were said.
