Puzzle of teacher whose body was retrieved from River Yala
A section of River Yala in Siaya County where several bodies are reported to have been dumped by unknown individuals.
Had the human rights activists from Haki Kwetu failed to upload a video of a body being retrieved from River Yala on social media, the family of Nicholas Kipkorir Ngetich from Kuresoi South would still be searching for their missing kin.
The 29-year-old who was a Board of Management (BOM) teacher at Emalindi Girls High School in Kakamega went missing on August 10.
His colleagues, friends and family have been searching for him since.
On the day he went missing, he had left home in Kuresoi South, Nakuru County, and headed to Kakamega.
He lived alone in Kakamega, according to a colleague teacher Cornelius Chumba.
While checking on him at his residence, they found his phone, wallet and bag he had carried from home.
“These belongings were found inside his house. We looked for him without success, we were forced to put up his picture on social media and ask whoever had seen him anywhere to help us find him,” said Mr Chumba who addressed journalists at Siaya County Referral Hospital Mortuary.
After 17 days of unsuccessful search at different areas where he might have been found, the friends and family members were attracted to a video of a body being retrieved from River Yala and visited Yala sub-County police station to inquire.
“We sent some representatives to check on the body that was retrieved, luckily they positively identified it.
“From the thread on social media, the body had black pants and black top, similar to how our deceased colleague dressed when he was last seen,” he pointed out.
They positively identified the body and informed the family members.
“We learned of the demise of this young man through social media. He is fairly young, recently graduated and was working as a teacher in Kakamega.
What the family doesn’t understand is the motive of the killing,” said Mr Samuel Rotich, uncle of the deceased.
He added: “As a family we are saddened. We shall wait for the police investigations but for now, we shall proceed to inter the body in Kuresoi South.”
The family commended the human rights activists who were pursuing the matter.
Postmortem results conducted at Siaya County Referral Hospital Mortuary established that he did not die of drowning.
“The postmortem was conducted in presence of family, police and the human rights activists. It was established that the man was killed elsewhere and the body dumped into the river,” said Joshua Otieno from Haki Kwetu.
Visible injuries
He further pointed out: “The body had visible injuries, the ears were cut, and the head also injured, a probability that the deceased was tortured. This is a forced disappearance which we have been campaigning against in this country. Investigations are ongoing and we expect the concerned authorities to get to the bottom of this.”
Nicholas Okite, a local diver who has been working with the police and other stakeholders in retrieving the bodies from River Yala, said the body might have been swept downstream from the upper part.
“River Yala passes through different counties. The body is reported to have gone missing in Kakamega, there is a high possibility that it was swept downstream. The spot where the bodies are normally retrieved has rock outcrops which block them,” said Mr Okite.
A senior police officer from Siaya told Nation that investigations are done jointly with the team from Kakamega where the incident was reported.
“After the investigations we shall have a joint statement, because we have to coordinate,” said the officer.
