Multimedia University student was strangled to death, autopsy reveals
Sylvia Kemunto's mother Triza Kwamboka (in red) breaks down in tears after identifying her daughter’s body on April 8th 2025 at Montezuma Monalisa funeral home in Nairobi. The late Sylvia was a student at Multimedia University.
A Multimedia university student whose body was retrieved inside a water tank was strangled to death, according to a postmortem examination.
Sylvia Kemunto, a first year student, died of strangulation, according to government pathologist Dr Johansen Oduor and family doctor Martha Mwangi, who ruled out suicide and drowning as cause of death.
“Sylvia had multiple injuries which were caused by blunt object(s). There were injuries in the head and on the limbs, both upper and lower limbs. There was also evidence of strangulation. We saw injuries on the neck which we see on people who have been strangled,” Dr Oduor told a press briefing at Montezuma Monalisa Funeral Home in Nairobi.
“She also had what is called asphyxia, someone who was not having oxygen at the time of death. With this we concluded that what led to the death of Sylvia was strangulation on top of the multiple blunt injuries,” Dr Oduor said.
Ms Kemunto was found dead on March 30, and the key suspect, Eric Mutinda, is in police custody for 21 days as investigations continue. The suspect is also a student at Multi-Media university.
Erick Mutinda Phillip a student at Multimedia University before Kibera law courts on April 7th 2025. He is being investigated for the murder of fellow student Sylvia Kemunto.
The autopsy also ruled out the allegations of suicide and pregnancy.
“We looked at tissue of the skin of the upper limb and there were a lot of injuries which we have seen in defence injuries. That shows that this person was trying to defend herself from being killed,” Dr Oduor added.
The family doctor agreed with the findings, adding that blunt force trauma was evident.
“There is evidence of strangulation and blunt force trauma. But there are no features of drowning,” Dr Mwangi said, adding that the body was found in a water tank and that it is difficult to tell for how long the body had been kept inside.
Peter Mogeni, an uncle to Kemunto, said that the family is satisfied by the outcome and that they would push for justice.
“We are devastated by the happenings and as a family we want to thank the support that we got from the members of the general public…we appeal to the government to put all the machineries possible so that justice is done to this family,” Mr Mogeni said.
Family lawyer Danstan Omari said that they would move to court to sue the university for failing to protect Ms Kemunto, who died in its premises.
“The questions the family are pushing across to the DCI and the ODPP is, what is the role of the university in protecting girls who are in the dormitories or hostels that are owned by the university. Where were the security apparatus of the university,” Mr Omari questioned.
The lawyer has also demanded for the explanation from the university as to why such a big university has not put measures in place to safeguard water points.
“We shall be moving with speed to get the university being part and parcel of this issue. Remember, this is an attack on femicide, killing based on gender. This is not an ordinary attack.”
Mr Omari, together with Shadrack Wambui said that they have launched a campaign to mobilise well-wishers across the country to support the young family of Ms Kemunto to accord her a decent sendoff.
“The mother is a single mother, she is coming from Kawangware and it is a deplorable issue. We have funded this thing through my law firm…she was the only breadwinner likely, having her daughter doing double math. It is not a joke, the mother is devastated. No legal fees. Anybody should not contribute for our legal fees, we shall deal with it through sharia mtaani and fund the legal fees up to the end,” Mr Omari said.
Kibera Senior Principal Magistrate Zainab Abdul ordered Mr Mutinda to be detained at the Capitol Hill Police Station until April 28, 2025 when the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Renson Ingonga, is expected to determine
“At this juncture it will not be prudent to release the respondent (Mutinda) on bond as police are far from completing investigations,” Ms Abdul stated in her brief ruling on Monday (April 7) late afternoon.
She said it is in public interest justice to allow police to detain the suspect for interrogation and recording of statements from the intended witnesses and DNA sampling.
Ms Abdul said the court has taken cognizant of the fact that a life was lost and justice must be seen to be done.
She noted that a postmortem is yet to be carried out to establish the cause of death.
Ms Abdul also noted the suspect needs to be escorted to a psychiatrist for mental assessment to establish whether he is mentally fit to stand trial.