Who killed Mary Ann? Man in custody as police seek to unravel murder of varsity student
Mary Ann Wangari, the 22-year-old Bomet University student whose body was recovered from River Nyangores a week after she went missing.
What you need to know:
- The death of Mary Ann is the second at the institution this year.
- In February, a female Third Year student at the university stabbed her boyfriend in the chest after he broke up with her.
When Mary Ann Wangari, 22, failed to turn up for classes last week and could not be traced at her residence, worried fellow students informed the Bomet University security team. Her friends said she was last seen within the school's premises on Tuesday last week.
"She was in a jovial mood and did not appear distressed or troubled by anything," a student who did not want to be named told Nation.Africa.
She was officially reported missing on April 4, 2023. Bomet University informed police of the development and a search for Ms Wangari kicked off.
The exercise would last a week but bear no fruit. On Easter Monday, locals in Chebirir area near the campus made a gruesome find: they spotted the body of a woman floating on River Nyangores. They had heard that a student was missing, so they quickly informed a guard at Bomet University who in turn alerted the police.
The body was retrieved by police and and identified as that of the Communications and Public Relations student, bringing an end to the search for Ms Wangari.
Suspect in custody
With the discovery of her body, focus has shifted to figuring out who could have killed her.
Who wanted her dead? What was the motive? This is what her family and many Bomet University students are grappling with.
Already, police have a male fellow student in custody who is said to have been seen with Ms Wangari prior to her disappearance. They say he is helping them with investigations.
"More than 10 students have recorded statements in connection to the incident," Mr Ali Bashir, the Bomet Central Sub-County Deputy Police Commander, said today.
"The body was taken to Longisa County Referral Hospital mortuary for a post-mortem and will be released to the family for burial," he added.
Visible injuries
While the autopsy will paint a clearer picture of what or who could have killed her, those who saw her body reported spotting evidence of physical injuries. According to the police, Ms Wangari appeared to have been hit by a blunt object.
They suspect that she was murdered and the body dumped in the river by her assailant (s) in a bid to make it appear as if she drowned.
The death is the second at the institution this year. In February, a female Third Year student at Bomet University stabbed her boyfriend in the chest after he broke up with her. He died from excessive bleeding and she was later apprehended by police.
