Body of missing Chemelil cop found at a Kisumu morgue

The body of the missing Chemelil police officer has been found at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Referral and Teaching Hospital morgue.

David Kimosop Sumukwo, 55, who worked at the Ngeta Police post in Muhoroni Sub-County disappeared a month ago under mysterious circumstances.

His family had a week ago, asked the government to help trace their missing kin, after the widow, Beatrice Rotich indicated that they last spoke on January 19 through a phone call. According to the widow, the father of five had been out of reach since their last phone conversation. 

The officer had been in service for more than 37 years and worked in Chemelil for close to seven years.

The last time he was at their home in Baringo was early last September when he went there during his annual leave. 

Unconfirmed reports indicated the missing police officer might have drowned.

A tip-off from a Muhoroni resident saw the family dispatch the officer’s son Hillary Cherutich and a relative to go and view the body at the Kisumu hospital.

“Our informer advised us to go and search morgues within Kisumu town. We resisted the idea hoping that he was still alive but finally, we sent his son to the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Hospital and he positively identified his body,” said Mr Amdany.

According to the deceased’s son, the body was partially decomposed and reports at the mortuary indicated that it was collected at Kibos River and drowning was suspected.

“He was wearing his police trousers and a belt. I was informed that the body was trapped within the trees in the river and was partially decomposed, with an indication that he might have drowned days before his body was retrieved,” said Mr Cherutich.

“We were hoping that he was still alive. It is sad that all this while we were looking for him, his body was lying on the morgue. We are now preparing for his burial arrangements,” said his firstborn son.

Nation had earlier learned that the cop had taken a break from work after seeking permission and was supposed to resume duty on February 12.

There was, however, a contradiction on the last date he was seen at work, with the family claiming that they were initially informed that he took a break from January 22, while the sub-county police boss said according to records, he took a break from February 2.

Muhoroni Sub-County Police Commander Joshua Nyasimi confirmed the officer’s death and said the officer’s body was collected at the Kibos River in Kisumu East and was taken to the facility as an unknown person and a victim of drowning.

“The family while going around the facilities found his body lying at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Hospital in Kisumu and reports indicate that he drowned. We have now started his burial arrangements,” said Mr Nyasimi.

In an earlier interview, Mr Nyasimi had confirmed that the officer had been missing for a month and they are yet to trace his whereabouts.

According to the Sub-County Police boss, the missing officer requested seven days off duty from February 2 and was supposed to report back to work on February 12, and he was granted the break.

The police boss said Mr Sumukwo was absent from work for more than three days from the date he was expected to report back and they had tried to reach him on the phone in vain as he was out of reach.

“It is true the missing person is my officer based at Ngeta Police station. He requested permission to go home for a week but he never reported back as expected, and exceeded three days of the agreed date. We tried to call him but he was out of reach. We were surprised to learn later that he did not go home either,” said Mr Nyasimi.

“We have tried to search for places where it was rumored he went to but he is not there. His phone was later retrieved at a kiosk where he worked and we are informed that he left it there after borrowing some amount as bus fare,” he stated.

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