Police officers in Trans County are searching for a man who allegedly strangled his mother to death.
In the incident reported by Mr. Andrew Barasa Wanjala, 66, husband of the deceased, at Kiminini Toll Police Post, the body of Ms. Konya, 50, was discovered floating in the Kiminini River by a herdsman on Saturday.
Ms. Konya, who was a laboratory technician at St. Joseph’s Girls High School, Kitale, is said to have gone missing and her phone switched off.
“We suspect that the deceased’s 25-year-old son, who is at large, could be involved in the murder of his mother,” police said.
Her husband, after calling her phone at least 64 times, decided to call where she works but was informed she was not there.
“We even called the school but we were told she was not there. So, when we visited her house in the company of detectives, we discovered that she might have been attacked in the house,” said Mr. Barasa.
The son, who went into hiding, visited a relative in Eldoret the same day her mother was reported missing.
St. Joseph Girls High School Kitale Principal Rosebella Oraro described the last time the deceased was seen in school.
“She was in school on Monday, October 17, and prepared the laboratory for practical lessons. However, she didn’t show up on Tuesday. So, we thought she was sick. On Wednesday, we went to her house and didn’t find her,” she said.
Ms. Konya’s body was retrieved from the river and taken to Cherangany Nursing Home Mortuary in Kitale town awaiting postmortem.
Trans Nzoia County Criminal Investigations Officer Francis Kihara told the media that preliminary results indicate she was murdered by her own son.
“We have launched investigations into the matter and so far, we are pursuing the son who is on the run. We are confident the law will catch up with him,” he said.
Sam Oduor is the editor-in-chief at the Western Kenya Times who leverages the power of the Internet in telling stories that shape opinions.
