Police rule out suicide in death of Grade 8 pupil at a Nairobi school

Police collect the body of the deceased from the school's first-floor balcony. [Patrick Vidija, Standard]

Police have downplayed claims that a 13-year-old Grade 8 pupil who died at Joy Garden Primary School in Nairobi committed suicide.

Buruburu OCPD Francis Kamau told The Standard that preliminary investigations indicate the deceased would have been murdered elsewhere within the school premises before his body was dumped on the balcony.

"For now we have ruled out suicide claims because the statements the suspects in our custody gave are not tallying up with what crime scene detectives found," he said.

Kamau added the detectives are reviewing CCTV footage obtained from the school, to ascertain the cause of death.

Earlier on, the school's management had told DCI officers that the deceased died after he jumped from the rooftop of the 8-storey building that houses the school on Friday evening.

Director Jane Kamau told investigators that the deceased was discovered missing at 6.30pm when he did not show up for supper.

She said a search was then conducted throughout the school's building before stumbling on his lifeless body on the first-floor balcony outside her office.

"After visiting the scene, police who examined the body established that the injuries on it were not consistent with a fall from a higher floor as insinuated by the management, leading to the arrest of the director, one of her sons, also a director and teacher, the centre head teacher and the boarding section assistant.

"They have given so many versions of what happened. For now, we are not able to ascertain who is telling the truth. That is why they have to accompany us to the station so that we can zero down to the incident report," an officer attached to Buruburu DCI said.

According to the officer, an internal investigation is underway at the school. It also emerged that the deceased pupil had been interrogated by a teacher earlier in the day.

The officer said what remains unclear is what happened between the time the interrogation ended and 6.30pm, when the deceased is said to have jumped from the rooftop of the school.

According to the family of the deceased, the school management informed them that their son fell from the rooftop at around 6 pm on Friday.

While demanding justice, the family dismissed the school's narrative claiming that they suspect foul play.

Director Jane in her response told the Standard that the incident was an accident that remains a puzzle to them.

"Let parents know that this was an accident. We have never and would never intend to harm learners. We always do our best to ensure their safety is guaranteed," she said.

She said the incident had overwhelmed everyone including all staff and parents who are now demanding answers.

"We are all in a state of confusion, we don't know what to say or tell our parents. We are looking at the best way we can communicate to avoid causing more hurt."