Residents of Kerugoya town in Kirinyaga Central, Kirinyaga County, were left shocked on Monday morning after discovering the body of an unidentified man in a drainage trench along the Kerugoya-Kibingo Road near Kerugoya Stadium.
The body was discovered early in the morning by residents heading to work and others taking their children to school.
According to residents led by Richard Kibuti Wambui, the man had visible injuries, although they could not establish what had caused his death.
The discovery sparked speculation among residents, with some suspecting that the man could have been killed elsewhere before his body was dumped at the scene. Others suggested he might have been knocked down by a vehicle.
However, the circumstances surrounding the death remained unclear as residents awaited investigations by the police.
“This is the first time in a long time that such an incident has happened here. If police confirm it is murder, it will be very unfortunate,” said Samuel Wanjohi, a resident.
Another resident, Joseph Kimani, said it would also be unfortunate if the death resulted from a road accident and the driver involved had fled the scene.
“If it is an accident, it will be unfortunate if the driver disappeared. We will wait for the postmortem from the police who will collect the body,” he said.
Police officers arrived at the scene and collected the body before transferring it to the mortuary, where it is being held pending identification and a postmortem examination to establish the cause of death.
Officers have appealed to members of the public who may have lost a relative to report to the nearest police station to assist in identifying the deceased.
The man's identity had not been established by the time the body was moved, and police had not confirmed whether the death was a result of a suspected murder or a road accident.
Investigations are expected to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and determine how the man sustained the injuries observed by residents.
