Final farewell for troubled Bomet couple as family seeks answers on mystery deaths
The coffins containing the bodies of Viola Cherotich Kirui (right) and Joseph Kirui (left), who died by murder and suicide, during the funeral service on October 13, 2026, at Segerot village in Kyogong location, Bomet County.
A couple whose deaths shocked Bomet County last week were laid to rest on Tuesday, with their family left grappling with unanswered questions over what happened and how to secure the future of their three children.
Joseph Kipkorir Kirui, a nurse at Longisa County Referral Hospital and his wife, Viola Cherotich Kirui, a primary school teacher, were buried at their family home in Segerot village in Chepalungu Constituency, in an emotional ceremony attended by relatives, colleagues and local leaders.
Their deaths on October 8, after an alleged domestic dispute, left their three children without either parent after 21 years of marriage.
As relatives mourned the couple, the family said there had been no obvious signs of trouble in the hours before the tragedy, describing the events that followed as difficult to comprehend.
Joseph Kirui, a nurse at Longisa County Referral Hospital in Bomet, and his wife, Viola Kirui, a primary school teacher. The couple were found dead at their home on October 4, 2026.
The couple’s parents, speaking through family members Paul and Alice Chilge, said Joseph and Viola had appeared jovial and had even travelled to Bomet town together before returning home.
“They appeared jovial prior to the incident and had gone to Bomet town together before retiring to their home. We were shocked by the incident when the news broke the following morning as no one had raised an alarm,” Alice said.
The account contrasted with reports that the couple had experienced domestic disputes over several years, which are suspected to have contributed to the deaths.
The circumstances surrounding the tragedy remain under investigation.
Postmortem findings indicated that Viola may have been injected with a poisonous substance, while her neck showed signs of strangulation. Samples taken from her body were forwarded to the Government Chemist for toxicological analysis to establish the cause of death.
Police suspect Joseph killed his wife before taking his own life in a sequence of events that left their family and the wider community in shock.
Beyond the grief, the burial brought into focus the immediate challenge facing the couple’s children, who will now depend on relatives and the wider community for their care and education.
Mr Chilge appealed to the local community, the Bomet County government and elected leaders to help educate the children, saying the family was facing financial difficulties.
The deaths also renewed calls from local leaders for couples experiencing domestic disputes to seek help before disagreements escalate.
The headrest of a coffin containing the remains of Viola Cherotich Kirui, a primary school teacher in Bomet who was allegedly murdered by her husband, who subsequently took his own life. This photo was taken during the funeral service at Segerot village in the Kyogong location of Bomet County on October 13, 2026.
Bomet Governor Hillary Barchok urged couples to seek professional counselling and turn to relatives, friends and colleagues for support rather than resorting to violence or taking their own lives.
Prof Barchok said counsellors employed by the county government were available to help people navigate personal and family challenges.
Chepalungu MP Victor Koech said the deaths had robbed the couple of their future and left their young children facing life without their parents.
“It is important for couples to understand that there is nothing in this world worth dying for and there is no problem that one can never overcome,” Mr Koech said.
The tragedy also drew concern from officials of the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT), who said the loss of teachers and other members of the community through gender-based violence, murder and femicide was worrying.
The headrest of the coffin carrying the remains of Joseph Kirui, a nurse who died by suicide in Bomet after allegedly killing his wife, as appears in this photo taken during the funeral service on October 13, 2026, at Segerot village, Kyogong location, Bomet County.
KNUT branch executive secretary Desmond Langat, treasurer Peter Rono and branch women’s representative Betty Langat called for greater efforts to address domestic violence.
“The rising cases of gender-based violence leading to death of couples in the South Rift region is a matter that is worrying and should be addressed by all in the society. It is better for couples to separate than to kill each other,” Mr Langat said.
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