MTRH students in tears as Ivy Wangechi’s body is moved to KU mortuary

Moi University medical students witness the body of their colleague Ivy Wangeci start its journey from MTRH mortuary in Eldoret  to Kenyatta University mortuary near her Thika ahead of burial. She was hacked to the death by a boy friend. [PETER OCHIENG/STANDARD]

The body of slain medical student who was hacked to death by a man claiming to be her lover was on Thursday handed over to the family who transferred it to Kenyatta University Funeral Home.

This will pave way for the family to plan for her final resting at their home in Thika.

Moi University Medical students, staff, family members were present at the morgue to pay their last respects to their colleague whose death shocked the country.

Ivy Wangechi 25, was hacked to death on Tuesday by Naftali Kinuthia 29, who pounced on her as she came from Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) after concluding her ward rounds, according to police and eye-witness accounts.

It was tears at the morgue as people craned their necks to get a glimpse of the remains of the student in a white bodybag before it was placed on the nearby hearse at 11 am.

In white doctors' coats, colleagues formed two lines and escorted the body  to the hearse  where they got a chance to view it.

Present was the mother and uncle of the sixth year student who called on the university to agitate for her justice.

The uncle, identified only as John, observed that since the incident took place, they have had a hard time coming to terms with the untimely death of their kin.

Eldoret residents mill around the hearse carrying the body of Moi University student  Ivy Wangeci from Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital Mortuary in Eldoret on Thursday. The medical student was hacked to the death by a boy friend. [PETER OCHIENG/STANDARD]

“We have been a hard time since we received news that Ivy had died. She was a bright girl whom the family had high hopes of becoming a resource upon graduating to be a full doctor,” said John.

He added: “As a family, we hope that justice can prevail and we call on the university to stand with us in agitating for our departed,”

Today at the @MTRHofficial Farewell Home and our Anatomy Labs we bid farewell to our colleague, our student, our sister, our friend, Ivy Wangechi, who was brutally murdered outside of our teaching hospital on Tuesday this week.

May we all find strength in these trying times. — MoiMedicine (@MoiMedicine) April 11, 2019

One of the class representatives eulogised their departed comrade saying they will keep memories of Ivy whom they described as approachable and friendly.

Professor Lukoye Atwoli, the School of Medicine Dean of Students, said they will remain in constant touch with the family as it settles for a burial date.

“We are mourning the death of Ivy who was bright in class, she would have made a great doctor had her life not been robbed by the assailant,” he said.

He added: “She was brutally murdered and we also demand justice.”

Police were unable to arraign the suspect as  was earlier anticipated with investigators insisting that he was still weak and under medication.

Family members console the  father of the late Ivy Wangeci (centre), at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret on Wednesday.  [PETER OCHIENG/STANDARD]

They observed that once he will be stable, they will take him to court to answer to the murder charges.

The autopsy report revealed that she died due to excess bleeding after sustaining two deep cuts on the left side of the neck and head.

Slain Moi University School of Medicine student, Ivy Wangeci. [PHOTO/STANDARD]

“She sustained hypovolemic shock due to excessive bleeding. From our findings, she sustained a deep cut wound on the left side of her neck which severed the main vessels that take blood to the brain and also extended to the bones. There was also a fracture of the left mandible and maxilla,” said Dr. Benson Macharia a pathologist at MTRH.

He added: “She also had a deep cut wound on the left side of the head near her ear which also fractured the bone. Her body organs were pale indicating that she lost excess blood.”