A body of a 24-year-old man from Kirigi Village in Iruma Location was found dumped in an abandoned borehole at their home in Maara, Tharaka Nithi County.
According to Jane Muthomi, the Assistant Chief for Iruma Sub-Location, she received news on Sunday, September 11 from Kirigi Central Unit Manager Alexander M’Itaiti that the body of Dickson Munene had been found dumped in a borehole.
The administrator then called Iruma Police Post who responded to the matter and reported to Magutuni Police Station OCS who arrived at the scene with officers to retrieve the body and launch investigations.
Alexander M’Itaiti explained the events leading to the discovery, saying on Sunday 4, September 2022, he passed by Munene’s home in his daily rounds only to find him sickly, unattended, and locked up in his mother’s house.
He inquired about the whereabouts of Munene’s mother Grace Kagendo and asked that she reports to him once she gets back.
Upon her return home later that day, Kagendo visited Alexander’s home and reported that she was from her home in Weru to source funds, promising to take her son to the hospital the following day.
“The following day (Monday) I passed by their home in the morning and was informed that Munene was being taken to hospital by the mother and his brother Kubai. Later in the evening I passed by their home once again and found no one present. On Tuesday, Kagendo showed up at my home and reported that they had taken him to hospital," he said.
Man reported dead
On Wednesday 7, September 2022, Kagendo’s relative known as Kathomi reported that Kagendo had informed her that Munene had succumbed to his illness saying plans were underway for a burial ceremony in Weru.
As the administrator in charge, Alexander would contact Kaburu, Kagendo’s father in Weru, who refuted the claims and referred Alexander to Munene’s brother, Kubai for further details and investigations.
Operations by the Unit Manager to trace Munene on Thursday and Friday failed to materialize and on Saturday, September 10, Alexander bumped into Kagendo, who said that she was leaving for Weru to plan the funeral of her son since her relatives from Kirigi were not helping in the planning.
Alexander would again call Kaburu, Kagendo’s father, who denied the death claims.
Later that evening as Alexander was passing by Kagendo’s home in the company of Mbaya, a villager and a neighbor to Kagendo, they were struck by a disturbing and odd smell that they agreed to get to the bottom of the following morning since it was already dark.
The following morning, Sunday, September 11, Alexander together with other residents woke up to find Munene’s body dumped in an abandoned borehole at their home.
“We were led to the well by a bad smell and the presence of flies. Upon looking inside after removing shrubs and logs that were covering the borehole, we discovered the decomposing body of Munene," he said.
Upon instigations after the discovery of the body, Kubai said that he had been sent to Weru on Monday by his mother to report the death of his brother, and when he came back home he was informed that the body had been taken to the mortuary awaiting burial, statements Alexander found suspicious.
The mother is still at large, while the brother Kubai has been arrested for further investigations.
