Mystery as KMTC student dies in a pool at Golden Palm Hotel

By NDUNG’U GACHANE
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Police in Murang’a South are investigating the mysterious death of a medical student in a swimming pool in Kenol town.

Mr Joseph Mbugua, a 21-year-old student at Kenya Medical Training Institute, Thika campus, was in the company of his three colleagues.

They had gone to swim at Golden Palm Hotel when he allegedly drowned and died on Sunday at around 4pm.

Murang’a South criminal investigations chief David Cheruyoit on Tuesday said they were investigating whether Mr Mbugua’s death was pre-determined.

The investigations came as the Mr Mbugua’s family and police clashed over claims that the student died after drowning.

According to police, Mr Mbugua’s friends reported that he died under water because he did not know how to swim.

But his family has dismissed the allegation, saying Mr Mbugua was an experienced swimmer and had swum in different pools.

They are reading foul play in the death.

Mr Stephen Gathemba, Mr Mbugua’s uncle, on Tuesday said the family had requested for a repeat of postmortem since they were not fully involved when the first one.

“We are not satisfied in the finding of the first autopsy report and that’s why we want it repeated, to know and understand how our kin drowned in a swimming pool yet he knows how to swim,” he toldthe Nation.

They have hired a private pathologist to witness the second autopsy to be carried out on Tuesday afternoon.