Editor's Review

An autopsy report has revealed what caused the death of one of the friends who went missing after having lunch in Kitengela.

An autopsy report conducted at the Murang'a County Referral Hospital on one of the bodies of the friends who went missing after having lunch at popular Kitengela joint has revealed the cause of death.

The report indicates that Elijah Obuong died of strangulation.

His body was found near Mukungai River on April 20 by sand harvesters and was recorded as an unidentified male. His family identified the body on April 29, 2021.

Samples were also taken from his stomach to establish whether he and his three friends; Jack Ochieng, Benjamin Imbai, and Brian Odour were poisoned at the restaurant where they were last seen.

The late Elijah Obuong whose body was found by sand harvesters near Mukungai River. |Courtesy| Facebook|

The news of his death took his family by surprise, with his mother, Caroline Obuong, maintaining that the deceased was not involved in any criminal activities.

"What mistake is this he did that is greater than his life? If by any chance it is the police, are they also not sinners for killing him?" Caroline posed.

She defended he son against prior reports that the four might have been part of a notorious criminal gang.

"My son was a staunch Adventist and did not take alcoholic drinks. He only had friends of questionable character," she said.

The police currently searching for Ochieng and Oduor. This is after the family of Ochieng' disowned a body that was discovered in a river in Murang'a, that had previously been believed to be him.

Ochieng's brother Cliff Ochieng appealed to the police and members of the public to help locate his brother. He also maintained that his brother had no criminal history.

Imbai's body was also found on Thursday at General Kago Funeral Home in Thika. 

On Friday, April 30, Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai directed the Director of Criminal Investigations to form a special team that would probe the disappearance and killing of four friends who were last seen in Kitengela.

The special team is expected to give a report in a month's time.

"This morning, I directed the DCI homicide team to investigate this matter in order to get to the bottom of it.

“The team has already begun its work,”Mutyambai stated.