A double tragedy has struck Bomet County after a man allegedly killed his expectant girlfriend before taking his life while in police custody.
The family of Caroline Chepkoech Ngetich, a 33-year-old Junior Secondary School (JSS) teacher at Cheptagum School in Bomet East Constituency, was preparing to lay her to rest when news emerged that the prime suspect in her death had also died.
Anthony Njenga Kariuki is reported to have taken his own life using socks at Longisa Police Station in Bomet East Constituency on Thursday evening.
The murder and subsequent death of the couple, who had been living together at Longisa Trading Centre, have raised more questions than answers.
Kariuki, also 33, had been arrested three days earlier after a post-mortem report contradicted the account he had given police regarding the cause of his girlfriend’s death.
Anthony Njenga Kariuki is suspected of having killed his girlfriend, Caroline Chepkoech Ngetich, and took his own life in Bomet over unknown reasons.
Photo credit: Pool
“The suspect was arrested and arraigned in court on Thursday at around midday, with the court directing that he be held in custody for seven days pending investigations ahead of plea taking,” said Bomet East Sub-County Police Commander Michael Mwenda.
Mr Mwenda added, “At around 3:45pm on Thursday, a police officer on routine checks found that the suspect had committed suicide in the cells using socks.”
His body was moved to the Longisa County Referral Hospital mortuary, where that of his girlfriend also lay, awaiting collection by relatives for burial on Friday morning.
A post-mortem report showed that Caroline was one month pregnant at the time of her death on January 5, 2026.
The medical report from Longisa County Referral Hospital, dated January 14, 2026, indicated that the victim had suffered severe spinal and cervical fractures consistent with assault.
Ms Janet Ngetich, Caroline’s sister, said the family and police had initially been informed that Caroline had slipped and fallen, sustaining serious injuries that later claimed her life.
“What we are demanding is a thorough investigation into the incident by the police so that, as we lay our sister to rest, we are clear on what transpired leading to the loss of life,” said Ms Ngetich.
Initial reports had indicated that the woman fell in the bathroom and was discovered face down before being rushed to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
By press time, the family was in the process of collecting the body from the mortuary for burial at Mukutma village in Bomet Township.
Mr Paul Kimetto, the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) Bomet branch executive secretary, confirmed that the deceased was employed as an intern teacher in 2023 and was confirmed as a permanent employee by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) last year.
“She had hardly settled into her job as a permanent employee of the Teachers Service Commission when death struck most painfully. We are expecting the police to provide answers to the family,” said Mr Kimetto.
Both the murder and suicide victims are said to have been cohabiting at Longisa Trading Centre but had not sought their families’ blessings for the union.
“Unfortunately, Bomet County has recorded one of the highest cases of murder targeting female teachers in the recent past, raising serious concerns,” said Mr Desmond Langat, the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) Bomet branch executive secretary.
Mr Langat added: “We are calling for restraint among couples whenever disputes arise, and there is a need to seek counselling to address underlying issues that threaten relationships.”
Cases of femicide have been on the rise in Bomet County, puzzling residents of the region. Most of the incidents are said to be linked to extramarital affairs, drug use, and substance abuse.
