Family demands answers as slain Daystar University Mercy Jerono student laid to rest
Mercy Jerono, an 18-year-old first-year nursing student at Daystar University who was stabbed to death was laid to rest at their home in Kapsait, Elgeyo Marakwet County on September 16, 2023.
According to the family, the postmortem report showed that she had been stabbed using a knife in the chest, 13 cm deep at the heart. She died due to excessive bleeding.
Ms Jerono, 18, was pronounced dead on September 9, 2023, after she was stabbed Friday night on the University premises. On September 4, the deceased reported to the private university to enroll for a degree course in nursing.
And now the family is demanding answers to why she was murdered just four days after reporting at Daystar University Athi River campus in Machakos County.
William Kanda, the family spokesman said that the family wanted answers on what could provide clues on how their kin was murdered.
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He says the deceased had called her mother, informing her that she did not want to attend a fresher’s night and planned to spend the weekend with their family. The deceased would inform her mother that she didn’t manage to get a public vehicle and resorted to staying until the following day.
“We have many questions because there were no police officers when she was rushed to hospital and this is where they reported that this incident could be a suicide case. . . We want to ask why they claimed it was attempted suicide before informing the police so cordon and take samples,” said Mr Kanda.
He added they seeking to establish whether there is any CCTV footage to piece together the last movements of their daughter.
“We were told there was no footage and we were astonished that a whole university has no a CCTV camera . . . a CCTV footage would tell what really transpired.’
Prof Michael Bowen, the Principal Nairobi Campus- Daystar University who read the institution’s Vice Chancellor Prof Laban Ayiro’s message of condolence at the burial, said that the institution was determined to have the deceased get justice.
Area leaders led by Elgeyo Marakwet Governor Wisely Rotich, Marakwet West MP Timothy Torotich, and County MP Caroline Ngelechei demanded justice for the family.
Mr Torotich asked the directorate of investigation (DCI) to expedite investigations so as to unearth the mystery around the death of the student.
The family described the deceased as jovial, kind, and loving.
A total of 18 trees were planted at the burial to celebrate the years Ms Jerono lived.