The board of management of Chemase secondary school in Nandi County wants an independent pathologist to carry out an autopsy on the body of their late student.
The board said Kelvin Kiptanui, a Form 1 student died at Nandi hills County hospital after being punished through caning in turns by two of their teachers.
Speaking to K24 digital on Tuesday, Joel Chemiron, the B.O.M chairman of the school noted that the only way of giving the deceased family and more so her mother justice, as well as teachers, was through the government and an independent pathologist.
Chemiron said they had confirmed that the deceased received 22 strokes of the cane from the two teachers who punished him for cheating in a Physics test.
The school's senior principal Martin Masika recorded a statement with the police that the deceased was handed corporal punishment by two teachers - Alex Kipkirui and Hillary Kiplimo.
“We believe as the management of the school that the truth will come out. We want to know the cause of death of our student which can only be established in a postmortem on the body which will be fair to everyone,” Chemiron said.
The chairman, however, rubbished a preliminary report issued by the hospital's acting medical superintendent Elkana Chirchir as the cause of death.
“A family has lost a loved one, while we as an institution have lost a student, let’s maintain calm and stop speculations until the truth is established,” Chemiron added.
The chairman said they decided to close the school to ease tension and anxiety in the Chemase area since the deceased was from the neighbourhood.
The school would be opened on March 20, 2023, hoping that by then, all issues would have been concluded.
The deceased mother, Monica Jerobon told K24 digital that at the time she was summoned, her son was vomiting blood.
“My son was healthy when he left home for school and never complained as he was eager to catch up with the rest of his class since he reported late due to lack of school fees,” Jerobon noted.
He died at the hospital while undergoing treatment in the mid-morning of Saturday before responding to any medication.
Human rights groups want government chief pathologist Johansen Oduor and the independent medical Unit (IMLU) to carry out an autopsy on the body at Nandi hills hospital.
