Shock as missing Kirinyaga University student found dead

Crime Scene

Police in Kirinyaga are investigating the cause of death of a university student whose body was found floating in a river.

Photo credit: File

A university student who went missing for four days under mysterious circumstances has been found dead in a river at Ngomongo in Kirinyaga County.

The residents spotted the body of the third year economics student - Felix Kibet, 20, floating in Thiba river on Monday evening and reported the matter to the police.
Kibet was a student at Kirinyaga University.

Police retrieved the body took it to Kibugi Funeral Home in Kutus town for postmortem. 

Students interviewed by the Nation said Kibet sat for all his examinations before he disappeared.

"He went missing when the university closed on Thursday but later we received information that he was found dead," a student said.

The school fraternity was thrown into mourning following the death.

Speaking in Kutus town, some of the students suspected that their colleague could have been strangled to death elsewhere and the body dumped in the river to cover up the evidence.

They complained of increasing insecurity in Kutus town where most of their colleagues have rented hostels.

"Most of our colleagues live in this town which has been invaded by criminals. We suspect our colleague was eliminated and we are demanding that thorough investigations be conducted to ascertain the truth of the matter," one of the students said.

The students who spoke to the media said they were in agony and vowed to pile pressure on the government until it reveals how their colleague met his death.

Kirinyaga County police commander Alfred Ongengo said the student’s body had no physical injuries and detectives want to establish the cause of his death.

"We have commenced investigations into death with a view of establishing whether it was suicide or homicide," said Mr Ongengo.

He asked the students to stop speculations and wait for detectives to conclude their investigations.

Another student from the same university, Collins Kipchumba was early this year found dead at Kutus after he went missing.

However, six suspects were arrested in connection with the death and locked up for questioning.

As new of the demise of Kipchumba spread, angry students protested in Kutus town, disrupting normal business.

They barricaded roads and engaged police in running battles as they demanded that security be beefed up in the town.

The students complained that gangsters waylaid them on their way to hostels from campus and attack them.