Body of nurses' union official Ferdinand Ongeri found in forest

A Kenya National Union of Nurses (Knun) official who went missing last Wednesday was on Saturday found murdered and his body dumped in Kimondi forest in Nandi County.  

The decomposing body of Mr Ferdinand Ongeri, the deputy chairman of Knun Kisumu branch, was discovered by herdsmen who alerted the police who took it to Kapsabet County Referral Hospital mortuary where it was positively identified by union officials and his family.  

Nandi County Police Commander Samson Ole Kine told Nation that the body, which had injuries, had no identification documents.

STRUGGLE

He said that there might have been a struggle between the victim and his killers.

“It seems the man was murdered elsewhere before his body was dumped in the forest,” the police chief said. 

Mr Ongeri went missing on July 24, 2019, hours after successful negotiations on nurses’ welfare issues at the county government offices.

Knun Kisumu branch chairman Maurice Opetu said Mr Ongeri had not raised any alarm when he headed for the county health meeting.

“Mr Ongeri attended a successful meeting with (Kisumu County) chief officer of health on Wednesday at the county offices before he left at 11am for Riat Dispensary where he worked,” said Mr Opetu.

The official claimed the slain official had decided to take a rest in his house in Dago market, Kisumu County, after asking his colleague to stand in for him.

KIBOSWA MARKET

At around 3pm, Mr Ongeri is reported to have called his boda boda rider who ferried him to Kiboswa market. He is said to have told the rider he would be picked by some people. He is also said to have asked the rider to pick him later.

“The last person to be in contact with Mr Ongeri is a boda boda rider,” Mr Opetu said.

He said it was unusual for the official not to update his colleagues the outcomes of his meetings with county officials. 

The union officials said they were alerted about Mr Ongeri’s absence by his wife and mother.  

Knun officials reached out to the Kisumu DCI detectives who tracked Mr Ongeri’s mobile phone to Kaptumo in Nandi County.

Mr Opetu said they learnt about their colleague’s death through a social media post.

Kimondi villagers have expressed concern over the increasing number of bodies being dumped in the forest.