A death investigation report shows that a Nyeri teacher whose body was found inside a nailed homemade coffin at his rental house was suffocated.
The man identified as Joseph Gathogo,46, who worked as a Computer teacher at Muhoya Secondary School was found stuffed inside a coffin placed on a boat-like structure in his two-roomed semi-permanent house in Ihururu village, Tetu sub-county, Nyeri.
Confirming this after an autopsy report conducted at Nyeri Provincial General Hospital Mortuary, Tetu Sub-County Police Commander Philip Mwania said it showed that the deceased died due to insufficient oxygen.
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“Our investigations which have so far corresponded with the post-mortem indicate that he nailed himself inside the coffin and sealed any air from coming in or out,” he told a local publication.
Mwania further noted that the high school teacher was found naked and only covered with a red ‘Maasai leso’ and polythene paper.
The autopsy ruled out poisoning and bodily harm.
Police are however yet to establish the reddish liquid substance (previously suspected to be poison) found inside the coffin.
Also next to his body was a hammer and torch, which police say he used to light up the coffin while nailing the lid shut from the inside.
The coffin lay in a boat-like structure, which acted as a ‘grave’ and was made of concrete slabs covered with cardboard.
The teacher was first reported missing on December 22, 2022.
