The mystery surrounding the death of Japheth Mungai, a second-year student at Moi University whose body was last Saturday found hanging inside a lecture hall with his hands tied deepened Tuesday after a pathologist dismissed claims that he could have committed suicide.
Dr Benson Macharia, a pathologist at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, who led the post-mortem, said they were no physical injuries on the neck to indicate the victim had hang himself.
He said the death could have been stage-managed to mimic suicide.
Fellow students found the body of the 23-year-old Microbiology student dangling inside a deserted lecture hall on Saturday at the main campus. His hands were also tied.
On Monday, police officers who picked the body said they suspected suicide.
AUTOPSY REPORT
However, Dr Macharia on Tuesday said that the body had no injuries inflicted by the rope that was tied around his neck. He dismissed claims he could have hang himself saying it was impractical without injuries on his neck.
According to the pathologist, the body could have been placed on the scene since the body had no practical fresh injuries.
“The death might have been stage-managed because no notable injuries were seen in the neck to indicate that the deceased committed suicide,” said Dr Macharia as he handed over the report to the parents of the victim at the hospital in Eldoret.
The student’s parents, who attended the autopsy examination on Monday, demanded for an explanation from the university on what happened to their son.
Ms Monica Mungai, the student’s mother, accused the University of undermining the security of the students as she concurred with the doctor’s report.
Ms Mungai petitioned police to conduct thorough investigations to establish the cause of her son’s death.
NO COMMUNICATION
She told journalists that efforts to reach the University for Clarification on the incident have been futile.
“Our efforts to reach out to the university management has failed, it is unfortunate to have an institution that has no regard or concern for agonising parents like me,” said Ms Mungai.
According to Kesses OCPD Aaron Muriasi, the student was communicating with his parents until shortly before his death on Saturday.
“It is unfortunate this incident occurred at the time second-year students had been sent home a month ago following a strike. We cannot establish why the deceased was still in the institution,” the Police boss said.
The family transferred his body to Laikipia County as they prepare for his burial.
The university is yet to comment on the death. Attempts to get a response from the Vice-Chancellor Isaac Kosgey have proved futile as he has not responded to calls and texts.