Man commits suicide few minutes after accident

Police in Taita Taveta County are investigating circumstances in which a man was found hanging from a tree moments after he was involved in an accident.

Lawrence Ongeri, 35, was found hanging by the neck after a car he was driving in hit a tree and rolled several times before landing in a ditch at Mkono wa Ndugu area along the Kanana-Lunga Lunga Road.

According to witnesses, Ongeri’s whereabouts could not be established soon after he bought a rope from a nearby shop. His body was later found meters away from the scene of the accident.

He is said to have informed his wife about the morning accident and asked her to forgive him for what he was about to do.

“(Nimepata ajali naomba unisamehe kwa uamuzi wangu” (which loosely translates to: 'I was involved in an accident. Forgive me'),” read a text message Ongeri reportedly sent his wife.

Confirming the incident, Lunga Lunga Police Boss Peter Ndzimbi told The Standard they are conducting investigations to ascertain how the deceased died.

Ndzimbi said detectives are probing if Ongeri died at the hands of a killer, and are seeking to determine if he authored the suicide note.

"We have launched investigations because we have reports that the deceased had earlier been involved in an accident but later turned up dead several meters away,’’ said Ndzimbi.

The body was moved to Kwale County Hospital mortuary awaiting postmortem.