Body of missing Maranda teacher recovered in River Nzoia
A signboard to Maranda High School along Bondo-Usenge road in Siaya county.
What you need to know:
- A police report seen earlier by the Nation indicates that the teacher, who headed the head biology department in the school, was last seen leaving the school while driving his car.
- The vehicle was found the following day abandoned near River Nzoia in Ugunja Sub-county.
The body of a teacher at Maranda High School who went missing two weeks ago has been found floating in River Nzoia.
The decomposed body of Kevin Otieno Ongoma was sighted by a resident of Sio Port at Bukoma area on Thursday evening.
The 33-year-old teacher went missing on October 10, 2020.
Siaya county police commander Mr Francis Kooli on Friday told the Nation the deceased's family members positively identified the body following its discovery.
"Someone spotted a body in the river with similar clothes to the ones the teacher had when he went missing. The school was later informed about the discovery," Kooli said.
The police commander said they suspect the teacher may have committed suicide.
"It is highly suspected that he might have committed suicide by throwing himself into the river but investigations will however establish what happened," said Mr Kooli.
Suicide theory
But some family members have dismissed the suicide theory, claiming that the body of the deceased had injuries, an indication that the teacher could have been tortured, killed and dumped in the river.
They asked the police to conduct thorough investigations into the teacher's death.
The Nation has established that the deceased will be buried on Monday, October 26 at his home village in Mbosie.
A teacher at Maranda High School, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told the Nation that a burial committee has already been formed at the school.
"We have been meeting to make burial arrangements, including contributing money towards the same ," he said.
A police report seen earlier by the Nation indicates that the teacher, who headed the head biology department in the school, was last seen leaving the school while driving his car.
The vehicle was found the following day abandoned near River Nzoia in Ugunja Sub-county.
According to detectives investigating the matter, the teacher lived with his family within the school compound.
"He left the school quarters that morning and drove himself to an unknown destination," said Mr Kooli.
His two mobile phones went off near the banks of river Nzoia where his vehicle was recovered.
Police said the body is being preserved at Ambira Sub-county Hospital mortuary.
