School, parents tussle over missing pupil, Alloys Ongonyo

A family in Bwangangi village, Busia County is living in agony after their 18-year-old son went missing in the first week of May.

Alloys Ongonyo said his son Ibraham left home for school, only to be informed one month later by the school management that they did not know where his son was.

“We bought him everything he required and saw him off to school as was the routine and we were shocked when the school’s deputy headteacher called to inform us that the boy never showed up there one month later,” he said.

The call prompted Ongonyo to visit the school and he later reported the matter at Samia Police Station and to the CID in Busia County.

The management of St Thomas Aquinas Boys Secondary School in Nanderema have maintained that Ibrahim did not report to school despite Onyongo’s assertion that a cook informed him that the missing student was present and had supper with the rest of the students.

Ibraham Ongonyo's portrait who left home for school in May but he has never returned home. The father Alloys was informed by the school management that he never reported to St Acquinas Nanderema Secondary school in Funyula. (PHOTO: CHRISPEN SECHERE)

It is this contrasting version of the story from the school management and the cook that has left Ongonyo in confusion and he is now accusing the school administration of a cover-up.

“All students are in the hands of their teachers and the school administration once they report. I find their version of the story suspect and wonder why it took them a month to alert us of Ibrahim’s alleged absence,” he says.

His prayer now is that his son is alive and well and he wants police to fast track investigations.

Ibrahim’s mother, Pamela Apiyo, recalled how she prayed for her son before seeing him off to school.

“He is a disciplined and obedient young man with traits that saw him selected as a prefect in his school,” she says.

Apiyo says two days after the school called to break the sad news, the family received a call from an unknown person demanding for a ransom in exchange of the boy.

“We reported the matter to police and decided to go to Bukiri within Funyula where the caller claimed to be waiting for us. However, once we got there, the caller - who was later arrested - claimed the boy ran away on seeing me,” she says.

The suspect was held briefly at Funyula Police Station but was later released due to lack of evidence.

The visibly distraught mother said it is hard to come to terms that her second-born child, a hard working boy with great promise, is missing.

“I have been in and out of hospitals searching for him. I still cannot believe that my son has disappeared and pray fervently that we will one day be reunited. I appeal to anyone who has information on his whereabouts to contact us,” she says.

When reached for comment by Wednesday Life, School Principal Peter Mububi maintained that the student did not report to school adding that they are willing to help find Ibrahim.

“It is a case I am well aware of and I wrote to the CID office in Busia about it. The boy did not disappear from here, as claimed, since he did not report in the first place. We however, remain optimistic that he will be found,” he said.