West Pokot police investigating suspected murder-suicide incident

Police in Pokot south sub-county West Pokot County are investigating an incident where a male adult is suspected to have murdered his girlfriend before dying by suicide at Chebon Location.

The incident took place on Monday night, August 21.

Confirming the incident, Chebon Location area chief Francis Merionger said he received a call from members of the public that there was a body hanging from a roof of a building in the Kapchesich area.

He said that while on his way there he saw a group of people gathered by the roadside and upon checking he found the body of a female adult.

Merionger said the body was naked and had been identified by members of the public.

"The female body was Sheila Cherop who is 26 years old, she had been doing hotel business at Sina Trading Center."

He said that the other body was hanging outside the Posho mill and also had no clothes.

"The two were living together, we suspect the man identified as Francis Masinde, 25, murdered his lover then later committed suicide."

Merionger said that the man had borrowed Sh40,000 from the lady to boost his timber business and that when she demanded to be paid, they suspect he decided to murder her.

"The two were doing business within Sina and had been living together for four months, it's unfortunate because her sister was also murdered last year in a nearby place," he said.

According to the sister of the female deceased Mercy Chelegat, 23, both the deceased persons were together on the fateful night.

West Pokot County Police Commander Peter Kattam said Police officers have since visited both scenes and it was discovered that the deceased female's neck was twisted and they suspect that she was murdered by strangulation.

"We are investigating a possibility of love gone sour direction and the two bodies have been moved to Kapenguria Referral Hospital Mortuary awaiting autopsy."