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School fight or fatal fall? Police probe death of Thika High student
Thika High School student Mohamed Hare, 16, who died under unclear circumstances.
What you need to know:
- Male student arrested for questioning after it was suspected that he might have been at the centre of the incident.
- Deceased student's family demands full disclosure backed by evidence, including witness statements and CCTV footage.
Police are investigating the death of a Grade 10 student at Thika High School on the night of July 10, 2026, amid conflicting accounts of the circumstances surrounding his death.
The family is demanding justice over the death of 16-year-old Mohamed Hare, as the school management and police on Saturday maintained that the matter has been taken over by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
"The circumstances surrounding the death of the Grade 10 pupil point to either an assault or an accident that caused him to fall to his death," Central Region Criminal Investigations Officer Dr Mugambi Nkingo said.
He added that a fellow male student has been arrested for questioning after it was suspected that he might have been at the centre of the incident in which the fatal fall occurred.
The boy’s mother Ms Noor Hassan told the Nation that she is leaving all to God.
"It is in Allah's mercies that I surrender... It pains. Allah will guide me. I am devastated. Yes, I need justice but in Allah I leave everything," she said.
Family spokesperson Jamal Aidid said the death has devastated the family.
"We as a family are still in the dark as to the exact circumstances under which our child died. We are being taken in circles, with some saying he was assaulted while others say it was an accident," he said.
He said the family wants full disclosure backed by evidence, including witness statements and CCTV footage.
He said the family received a phone call from the school management informing them that their son "had been involved in a fight with another student" and asking them to report to the school immediately.
However, upon arriving at the institution, he added, they were informed that their son had died.
Arrested for questioning
Meanwhile, Dr Mugambi has assured the family that investigations, taking into account all possible scenarios, were progressing well and that the facts would soon be established.
"The police have opened an investigation file under Occurrence Book (OB) number 02/11/07/26. The boy was declared dead at Thika Level Five Hospital, and the body was moved to General Kago Mortuary," he said.
He said preliminary investigations had led to the arrest and questioning of the prime suspect, a 17-year-old male student.
According to a preliminary investigation report by Thika West Police Station, three witnesses have given corroborating statements regarding the incident.
"The three firsthand witnesses claim that the deceased and the suspect quarrelled over an issue and an altercation ensued. What is not clear is exactly how the fatal fall occurred," the report reads in part.
The report recommended revisiting the scene to gather more evidence and retrieve CCTV footage.
School Principal Julius Muraya said he is cooperating with the parents of the two students involved, the police and the Teachers Service Commission to establish the facts.
"So far, what can be disclosed is that there was an altercation between our two pupils, after which one of them suffered a fatal fall and later succumbed while receiving treatment at Thika Level Five Hospital," he said.
Mr Muraya added that some teachers rushed to the scene after a colleague on duty alerted them about the incident.
"First aid was administered before the pupil was taken to the hospital, where the unfortunate death was confirmed. We are sorry, and we remain strongly committed to the cause of justice and healing," he said.
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