An ordinary walk to Mpeketoni town in Lamu County by 18-year-old Francis Ngugi has left his family devastated after he was later found brutally murdered.
His father, Mr Gabriel Ndichu, said his son, who had been on medication for a mental disability, left home on the morning of Wednesday, September 10, never to return. The parents were used to letting him wander freely in town as he always came back home on time for lunch and supper before going to sleep.
But when the teenager failed to return home, on that fateful day, his parents immediately began searching for him in town and nearby homesteads without success. A missing person’s report was filed at the Mpeketoni Police Station in Lamu West on September 12.
After about four days of searching, villagers in Mapenya noticed flies swarming over a borehole that was emitting a pungent smell. Since they had heard about the missing boy, they notified Ngugi’s family, which immediately informed the police.
On Thursday last week, a team of Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officers, together with members of the public, retrieved the boy's body from the 35-foot borehole located about 600 metres from Ngugi’s home. His parents positively identified it as that of their missing son.
“It was so devastating learning that for all that long, my son’s body had been dumped in a borehole and decomposing. Why tie his hands with a wire? He was also naked despite having left home wearing a pair of trousers,” said Mr Ndichu.
Both of Ngugi's hands were tied behind with a wire, and the eyes appeared to have been gouged out.
“I am utterly heartbroken. They killed my firstborn child. May the killers never know peace. May they face the same fate the soonest time possible,” added Mr Ndichu.
Despite his mental challenges, Mr Ndichu said his son was on the path to recovery and had never been aggressive toward anyone.
“How can someone decide to brutally kill my son just like that? Ngugi has been naturally humble since he was born. He has never held grudge with anyone. We just need answers on this. It’s painful,” said Mr Ndichu.
Ngugi’s uncle, Mr Johanna Mungai, said the family had been hopeful of his full recovery so they could return him to school. Ngugi had dropped out in Form Two from Lake Kenyatta Secondary School in Mpeketoni two years ago.
“We were looking forward to the day when he would be assessed. Our plan was that once he attained full recovery, we would send him back to school. Now they’ve killed him. We are demanding justice for Ngugi,” said Mr Mungai.
With the body now lying at the Malindi Sub-County Hospital mortuary awaiting a postmortem, the family pleaded with the police to fast-track investigations and ensure his killers are brought to book.
Lamu West Sub-County Police Commander Mr Mohamed Learat confirmed the incident, adding that the matter is under intense investigation by the DCI.
“The investigations are still active and going on but so far no arrests have been made,” said Mr Learat.
Mr Jonah Njogu, a religious leader in Mapenya, decried the incidents where people in the village and its environs being killed by unknown people, with no single suspect arrested so far.
In March, a 25-year-old woman who was working at the casualty department of Mpeketoni Sub-County Hospital, was mysteriously murdered and her body dumped near a swamp in Mapenya village.
The incident was confirmed by Mpeketoni Sub-County Hospital Medical Superintendent Mohamed Moroa, who noted that the woman was killed by unknown people while heading home from work in the evening.
Two months ago, another woman was raped and killed, and her body left by the roadside along the Mapenya–Sikomani route. No arrests have been made.
“We are now worried about these mysterious and recurrent deaths. People continue to be killed. Every time we ask, the police keep on saying they’re investigating. We need to see culprits nabbed and jailed so that these mysterious killings witnessed in our village are brought to an end,” said Mr Njogu.
