Alarm as young lives cut short in crimes of passion
Roy Lumbe and Oliver Musembi
At least five students have been killed by their partners and two people committed suicide in the past two weeks, according to police reports.
Police say there has been an increase in killings and assaults by intimate partners in the past two months.
Stabbing was the most common mode of killing, according to police data.
On Saturday, a first year student at the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC), Loitoktok campus, was stabbed to death by her boyfriend.
Miriam Chepchirchir, 22, was allegedly murdered in the wee hours of Saturday by Samson Kipkorir Kemoi, 27, who had paid her a visit.
Loitoktok sub-county Police Commander Reuben Muli said Chepchirchir was stabbed several times in the neck and died on the spot.
An Information Technology intern in Ruaraka, Nairobi, the suspect surrendered at the Loitoktok Police Station and led detectives to the crime scene.
“The body of the deceased was found lying on the floor in a pool of blood, with signs of struggle in the room.
A blood-stained knife was recovered at the scene within Kamukunji Estate,” he said.
He was handed over to the area Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) for further interrogation.
Security guard
In another incident on Wednesday night, a Form Four student, who was among six boys who had sneaked into a nearby girls school, was allegedly beaten to death by students and teachers.
It is believed the victim and five colleagues had sneaked out of Gathiru-ini Secondary School at night and trespassed into Komothai Girls High School in Githunguri sub-county, Kiambu.
A private security manager George Karanja said when the boys made their way into Phoebe dormitory, the girls started screaming, which attracted the attention of security guards, teachers and the headteacher.
“Five boys escaped unhurt while one, identified as Brian Mbage, a Form Four student aged 17 years, was subjected to beatings by the students and members of staff and sustained physical injuries on the head and forehead,” read the report.
He was taken to Kigumo Level 4 hospital where he died while receiving treatment. Detectives recovered sticks believed to have been used to beat the boy.
The same Wednesday, a17-year-old student was stabbed by her 49-year-old alleged lover who later committed suicide in Miti Mingi village in Gilgil, Nakuru county.
Neighbors said Naomi Nyarangi was stabbed by Salim Said in the neck using a kitchen knife. The man then hang himself in a hay store.
After the stabbing, Nyarangi went home where she died in the arms of her aunt Edith Kemuma.
“She came home with blood gushing out of her neck and told me that Said had stabbed her. I tried to apply pressure on the cut but it didn’t help. She died in my arms,” said Kemuma.
Salim, a married farm worker, is said to have had an affair with the minor and reportedly planned to marry her once she completed school.
Kemuma said she woke up at around 7.30am with her niece and was preparing breakfast when Said’s daughter arrived with a bag of beans and told Nyarangi that her father wanted to see her.
“I allowed her to accompany the suspect’s daughter to his home to get clarification on what he wanted,” said Kemuma.
The suspect’s wife, Selina Juma, said she was still in bed but heard the two engage in heated argument as Nyarangi’s begged for her life.
“I was unwell and it took me minutes to dress up and when I stepped out, I didn’t see the two,” said Juma.
Juma and Ezra Njuguna, Nyarangi’s cousin found the murder weapon and a blood-stained jacket in the compound.
“We found his body dangling from the roof of the hay store,” said Njuguna.
Bar brawl
While retrieving the body, police found a suicide note in his pocket indicating that he had been in a relationship with the minor and intended to marry her.
Another 24-year-old student was stabbed to death by an unknown person on Saturday in Chepalungu, Bomet.
The day scholar student at Kapsinendet Secondary School is said to have been involved in a quarrel with another man over a woman at a bar in Siongoroi Trading Centre before he was fatally stabbed.
The student is said to have sustained deep cuts in the neck and died.
Area chief Joseph Ngeno said the woman in question fled the area after the incident.
Chebunyo Officer Commanding Station (OCS), Nelson Masai said a team of police officers was looking for the suspect.
Two weeks ago, the body of another student, 17-year-old Cynthia Makokha, was found floating in River Lusumu where it had been dumped by a suspected lover.
Makokha was a Form Four student at Kibera Secondary School in Nairobi.
Police arrested a boda boda rider in whose house the student’s bag and mobile phone were found.
A post-mortem showed that the student had been defiled then strangled.
