Catholic priest dies under mysterious circumstances at Murang’a guest house
Catholic Priest Joseph Kariuki who died under mysterious circumstances at a guest house in Murang'a County.
Catholic priest Joseph Kariuki, 43, left his Ruai parish in Nairobi on Friday, reportedly accompanied by his 32-year-old girlfriend, and settled in Murang'a County as a good hideout to have a good time.
But tragedy struck on Saturday morning when he died under mysterious circumstances, exposing his 'randy' adventure as contrary to the priestly call.
He had reportedly checked into the three-star Monalisa Hotel in Gatanga sub-county, ordered some liquor and chicken - all at a cost of Sh6,000 - and retired to the privacy of the concrete walls.
"He had been our customer for two years and was a good man - amiable, vivacious but demanding of his secrecy. We all knew how to treat him properly and he returned the favour by giving us good tips, for he was a man with deep pockets. We knew he was a priest, but that was none of our business," said an employee at the hotel.
Trouble came in the morning when his supposed girlfriend noticed him slipping into unconsciousness.
According to a police report filed by Gatanga sub-county police boss Laurence Njeru, the woman panicked and called the hotel management.
"The girlfriend also identified herself as the priest's colleague at Ruai Parish. She told the management that her boyfriend was dizzy and unconscious. She wanted immediate help to take him to hospital," the report reads in part.
The hotel management reacted quickly and assigned a driver and another employee to the alleged girlfriend.
The three allegedly covered the naked, unconscious priest with a hotel bed sheet and put him in his personal car - a Toyota Harrier.
Meanwhile, police officers from the Samura Police Patrol Base, who had been called by phone, arrived and after witnessing the man of God's health complication, assigned two officers to escort him to Kenol Hospital in Muran'ga South Sub-County.
"The officers found that the priest had been removed from the room and was in his car, half covered with the hotel bed sheet... white foam was oozing from his mouth and nose. He was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital," the report said.
Drinks and food
Crime scene investigators processed the hotel room where the two 'lovebirds' had spent the night and the priest's car.
"Samples of drinks and food consumed by the two were collected and preserved for further analysis...the woman was questioned and she gave an account - from the time they entered the room to the moment of tragedy," Mr Njeru said.
He said the body of the priest had been taken to Mater Hospital mortuary in Nairobi where a post-mortem would be conducted to further determine the cause of the priest's death.
Catholic leaders remained tight-lipped on the incident, with Murang'a Catholic head Maria Wainaina saying, 'Let's wait for due process'.
