Parents of Moi University student, Japheth Mungai, who was found dead in class, have denied claims that their son committed suicide.
Speaking on Monday, December 16, 2019, at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) mortuary, Mungai’s parents insisted that their son was brutally murdered and the killers tried to make it look like a suicide.
Mungai’s body was found hanging on a rope in one of the classrooms at the Moi University Main Campus in Kesses, on the outskirts of Eldoret town, Uasin Gishu County. His hands were tied up.
According to Mungai’s father, Charles Kinyanjui, his son was at home in Nyahururu for the long holiday and had told him of his intention to travel to Moi University to collect his belongings.
“No parent would stand seeing photos of his child’s body hanging lifeless on a rope. This is pure foul play and we want the police to bring to book those who killed my son. He did not deserve to die like that in his own school,” said Mr Kinyanjui.
Police found a bus ticket beside the body, indicating that the second-year microbiology student had traveled from his rural home in Laikipia County on December 11.
Mungai’s parents were opposed to his travel idea but the 23-year-old left home on Tuesday morning without informing them.
The body of a Moi University student found hanging. Parents claim management did not inform them of this incident. #ShinaLaUpeo #MachoNaSautiYetu #TV47KE pic.twitter.com/sehPjec3CM
— TV 47 KENYA (@TV47KE) December 16, 2019
Mungai’s mother, Monica Mungai, said her son’s phone went off the very day he travelled from his home and efforts to reach him were futile until Sunday morning when a friend called his elder brother after news of his death went viral on social media.
Police, however, believe he died after committing suicide on Saturday night.
“We do not have much information. We are treating it as a suicide,” Kesses Sub-county Police Commander Harun Muriasi said.
Uasin Gishu County Police commander Johnstone Ipara said police have launched an investigation into the Saturday night incident and are currently on the trail of Mungai’s friends who were last seen with him before his death and have since gone missing.