Family split over cause of kin's death

Abel Nyakundi's widow Cynthia Kerubo speaks. According to post-mortem, Nyakundi died of strangulation. [Sammy Omingo, Standard]

A family in Kisii has disputed a postmortem report indicating their kin who was initially believed to have drowned was killed before his body was dumped in a well.

While a section of the family maintains that the late Abel Nyakundi committed suicide, others believe he was murdered as indicated by the post-mortem report.

Nyakundi’s body was recovered from a well within his homestead and it was believed that he drowned.

Some family members had even made funeral arrangements before the autopsy was conducted.

The post-mortem that was conducted at the Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital by Government Pathologist Dr Dominic S M O, showed that Nyakundi died of strangulation.

According to the post-mortem report, the pathologist indicated that there were ligature marks on the neck that pointed to strangulation and there was no sign of drowning since the amount of water found in the stomach was insignificant to point to the same.

John Nyamwaya, an elder brother to the deceased who has dismissed the autopsy report and demanded a second one, earlier told reporters that Nyakundi had attempted suicide in the past.

“He was my brother and I knew him well. He had tried to kill himself before and even now, he killed himself,” Nyamwaya said.

The deceased was reported missing on April 7, 2024, and his body was recovered from the well two days later.

When The Standard visited their Kitutu Chache South home near Nyamataro, Nyamwaya said he was raising funds for the second postmortem to be done in the presence of the family’s appointed pathologist.

However, Nyakundi's widow Cynthia Kerubo, has insisted that the first autopsy report was accurate.

"My husband was killed and the killers must be known before I bury him,” the widow said.

Kerubo said she had a good relationship with her husband and a few days before he met his death they had taken their son to Kenya Medical Training College.

Kisii County Police Commander Charles Kases said the matter was under investigation by homicide detectives.

“We are handling the matter and we are acting on every information we are receiving from the family. Crime officers are on top of their game and more information will be given in due course,” Kases said.