Police let our son die, family of university student found murdered in Kirinyaga say
Richard Terer (right) father of Felix Kibet, a Kirinyaga University student who was tortured and murdered, is flanked by Mrs Pauline Korir, a relative, Mr Wesley Terer as they brief the press on December 21,2022 at their home in Siongiroi, Bomet.
A metallic gate beside the tarmac is wide open with motorcycles and motor vehicles driving in and out of the compound in Siongiroi village, Chepalungu constituency.
Some people are walking and occasionally jumping to avoid mud along the short driveway in the home following heavy rains.
In the compound, three houses stand metres apart. Tens of villagers are seated on plastic chairs under indigenous trees outside the main house.
This is the homestead of Felix Keter Terer’s family, a second year student at Kirinyaga University who went missing last week only for his body to be found dumped on Monday evening at Thiba river in Ngomongo area of Kutus, Kirinyaga county.
Kibet was a second year economics and finance student at the university and had sat for his exams on the day he went missing.
Ms Ann Terer, the mother, was speechless and could only say it was too much for a parent to lose a child, the only son for that matter, through a suspected case of torture and murder.
“What did my child do to deserve to die this way? Why did they have to torture him and try to hide it? What have they gained from it? We leave this case to God to fight for us,” Mrs Terer, a mother of five children said before she trailed off.
Mr Richard Terer, Kibet’s father, who is an administrator at the County government of Bomet was numb with shock even as relatives, villagers, administrators and the clergy took charge of preparations for the funeral.
“I haven't come to terms with all this and I do not have the courage to speak to the media. It is too overwhelming. But my brother will try to take you through the sad turn of events," he told journalists.
Kibet’s uncle, Wesley Terer, a teacher at Kaplong Boys high, says they received news of the missing student on Thursday but it was his phone remaining off for over a day that alarmed them.
“The news that he was missing filtered through on Thursday, but it was on Friday when we became so alarmed as a family as his phone was unusually switched off for over a day,” he said.
Missing person report
It was then that the family started calling his friends and relatives to check on him and the feedback was that he was not in his room and had not been seen, nor had he gotten in touch with his friends.
The deceased’s photo and a caption stating he was missing was circulated on the social media, but no information on his whereabouts was forthcoming.
The last time he talked to his father was on Thursday, before he went missing after sitting for his exams.
“We travelled to Kirinyaga on Saturday night when it became clear that Kibet was missing. We went to the police on Sunday to follow up on reports made earlier by students of a missing person. But nothing much was forthcoming,” Mr Terer said.
On Monday, the father and uncle took part in the search for the missing student but did not succeed.
They said that on Tuesday evening they were informed that a body had been retrieved from river Thiba and that they were required to identify it.
When they went to the mortuary in Kutus, they confirmed that the body was indeed that of their son.
“From fear, the reality that we had lost a child in very unclear circumstances started to sink in. The fact that he died in a very painful and was probably subjected to torture for days before being killed was heartbreaking,” Mr Terer said.
The family stated that the body had injuries on the head, the eyes and abdomen appeared to have been burnt in what points to torture.
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“It was baffling that when his fellow students stumbled on the body in the river, it was fully clothed, complete with his jacket, shirt, shoes and socks on, and his mobile phone was in the side pockets of a pair of trousers he wore,” Mr Terer revealed.
Bleeding body
But the family is not satisfied with the way the police handled the matter claiming he would have been found alive had they devoted time and resources to the search when the missing person report was filed by fellow students.
“It is baffling that he was still bleeding when he was found, indicating the body had been dumped in the river by his abductors in a bid to mislead investigators and members of the public that it is a case of drowning,” Mr Terer pointed out.
The family stated that a postmortem report conducted on Wednesday indicated that the Kibet died due to lack of oxygen, and that his heart was functioning normally at the time of drowning. It further indicates that the body had injuries on the head.
The body is lying at Kibugi funeral home in Kutus as the family plans for the funeral expected to be conducted next week.
Kirinyaga Police Commander Alfred Ongengo said investigations had commenced to establish whether the cause of death was as a result of murder or suicide.
Mr John Rono, a neighbour to the bereaved family, reiterated the need for speedy investigations into the incident so as to set the family free.
“Like the family, the local community is searching for answers and it is important for all relevant government departments to play their role and unravel the case,” Mr Rono said.
A rise in insecurity in Kutus has persisted with university students falling victims to thuggery and murder.
Early this year, Collins Kipchumba, a student at Kirinyaga University was found dead after he went missing, leading to protests by fellow students.
