Murder or suicide: Police probe Mombasa student death

A 24-year-old student at Technical University of Mombasa who was found dead inside his house on Monday evening spent his last days with his nine-month-old son, Nation.Africa has established.

Gregory Mutinda was residing in the Kaa Chonjo area within Tudor, in Mombasa where his body was found inside his house.

According to his girlfriend, Ms Mercy Munyao, the boyfriend had spent the previous day with their son (Sunday).

“I was not around that day. But together with his friend they visited my place and spent the day with our son. In my mind I knew all was well. The next day we talked early in the morning around 9am in the morning and asked if he was going to the workplace where he was doing his internship. He replied in the affirmative and we bid each other goodbye,” said Ms Munyao.

Ms Munyao notes that minutes later, Mutinda called her and borrowed Sh150 to buy ‘Mandazi’.

“I did not have any money in my Mpesa so I told him I had cash, he went silent and hung up. At around 11am I texted Gregory but the message was not delivered,” explained Ms Munyao.

She says she assumed her boyfriend was busy at his workplace.

“Around 3pm I called my boyfriend and he did not pick up. I decided to give him a few minutes assuring myself that maybe he was in a matatu heading home, and once he arrives he will call me back,” said Ms Munyao.

But that did not happen.

“He never missed picking my calls, I was worried and called a friend who stayed in the same apartment as Gregory. The colleague informed me, he had moved out. I called two more people who said they were in school at the time. The fourth person I rang raised red flags, he told me the previous day that he was with Mutinda, he looked dull and in a somber mood and that I should immediately go and look for him, which I did,” said Ms Munyao.

Upon reaching the boyfriends house, she peeped through the window and saw items scattered inside and her boyfriend's body lying on the floor.

“I did not open the door, I went and bought credit and called my friends who came and we opened the door together. We had to break down the door since it was locked from inside. We found a syringe beside him and he had injuries on his left side of the chest,” said Ms Munyao.

Mutinda was a third year student at TUM studying Bachelor of Science in Information Technology.

A police signal as seen by Nation indicated that a kitchen knife and clothes that had blood stains were recovered on the floor of the house.

The body of the deceased, according to police, had one deep knife stab.

Police are now investigating whether the death was murder or suicide.

“With assistance from members of the public, police officers visited a house located in second floor in a building where a young man had committed suicide. The door of the house was forcefully opened since it was locked from inside.

“The body of one young man identified as Gregory Mutinda was found lying down on the floor dead and a syringe with some fluids and pesticide powder beside him.”

His body was moved to Coast General teaching and Referral hospital morgue awaiting autopsy.

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