Neighbour among 3 people arrested in Bahati after initiate dies in seclusion

Police in have arrested three people following the death of a 14-year-old boy who suffered fatal internal injuries three days after undergoing circumcision in Bahati Sub-County.

Elvis Maina, a Grade Eight pupil at Murangaro Junior Secondary School, died on November 5 at his grandfather’s home in Cedar Lodge village, where he was undergoing traditional seclusion after the November 2 procedure.

The teenager had been placed under the care of a neighbour entrusted with supervising his recovery during the customary 21-day healing period.

Nakuru North Sub-County Police Commander Elisha Obado said preliminary investigations indicated that the boy had suffered abdominal injuries after being struck with a blunt object.

His body was taken to Nakuru City Mortuary for a postmortem as detectives investigated the circumstances of his death.

Obado said the suspects, comprising the caregiver and two other adults who were in the vicinity, had been presented in court through a miscellaneous application and investigators granted 14 days to detain them as they pursued further evidence.

“The investigation is ongoing. The evidence we have so far is still circumstantial, and we have a lot to do on this matter,” he said.

He added that investigators were also examining practices during the boy's recovery, including reports that he had been fed excessive amounts of food.

The police commander urged parents to take responsibility for their children's welfare after circumcision rather than leaving them under the supervision of other people.

“My appeal this festive season, I understand there will be such but members of the public and everyone involved should take charge of their children. After a minor undergoes the procedure, it is important to pick him up and take him home to care for him instead of entrusting him to another person,” he said.

The family is demanding justice, saying Maina had been healthy before undergoing the procedure and had no known illness when he was taken for seclusion.

His aunt, Sarah Kamogo, said the family had arranged for a doctor to perform the circumcision in Kabatini before the boy was taken to his grandfather's home for recovery.

She said the family became concerned after Maina began vomiting and complaining about excessive feeding.

Sarah said more than 20 young men had visited the home on Monday to welcome the initiate in keeping with community customs.

“We just want justice for his death. He did not deserve to die in such a manner. Whoever did this to him must be held accountable. We believe he was assaulted during the gathering. As a family we were expecting to receive him back home in good health after 21 days,” she said amid tears.

The caregiver reportedly informed the family in the early hours of Thursday that Maina was experiencing stomach pains and needed medication.

Relatives sought medicine believing he was suffering from a stomach condition, but he had already died by the time it was brought.

Sarah said the postmortem revealed a blood clot around the colon, with the doctor also raising concerns about excessive feeding.

“We were giving him medication thinking he had gas in his stomach, but the postmortem showed that he had been hit by a blunt object on the stomach. There was a blood clot around the colon. The doctor also informed us he had been given more food that he could manage,” she said.

A Nyumba Kumi official, Rachel Wanjiku, said first responders found the boy in critical condition, with foam coming from his mouth.

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