Body of missing Kirinyaga principal found in Meru mortuary

Olokurto Principal

Olokurto Secondary School Principal Sebastian Njiru Gikunju.

Photo credit: Courtesy

A secondary school principal from Kirinyaga County who went missing last week has been found dead.

The victim, Mr Sebastian Njiru Gikunju ,56 was found in the mortuary at Nkubu in Meru.

According to Kirinyaga police commander, Mr Mathew Mang'ira, preliminary investigations show the school head, who disappeared mysteriously, could have died in a road accident while on his way to Meru for principals' conference.

“It has been established that the principal was among the passengers who died when a Matatu was involved in an accident in Meru,” said Mr Mang'ira.

He said it appears the principal had at some point boarded the matatu which got involved in a fatal crash. However, he said the matter was being investigated by Meru detectives as the victim had left home in a car and not matatu according to the wife.

Mr Gikunju had set out for the conference in Meru on Tuesday last week and that was the last time his family heard from him.

According to his wife, Anne Njiru, he came home at Mutithi village in Mwea, the same day he disappeared riding in a car that didn't belong to him.

He had explained to the family that his vehicle had developed a mechanical problem and left it at a garage and the one he was driving was a borrowed one.

It was then that he said goodbye to the family and left for Meru.

Prior to the discovery of the body, the family had suspected principal was kidnapped as on Tuesday his cellphone was ringing before it went off on Wednesday.

Family members lamented that they looked for Mr Gikunju everywhere unsuccessfully until Friday September 30 when they learnt that he had been found dead in a morgue.

When Mr Gikunju failed to return home, the matter was reported to Kiamaciri police station in Mwea West Sub-County.