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Kenneth Matiba’s kin found dead in suspected suicide


A nephew of Kenya’ multiparty hero the late Kenneth Matiba’s was on Tuesday morning found dangling from a rope in his bedroom in Maragi village, Muranga county.

The deceased, James Githukia Gachugu, 44, is the son to Mr George Gachugu, a cousin to the late Matiba and who is now the chairperson of the family business, Wangu Investments.

Murang’a East Police Commander Alex Muasyia told journalists that the deceased’s body was found by his brother David Muriithi who had gone to check on him.

The body had no injuries and preliminary investigations indicate that the death was as a result of suicide.

“Upon receiving the reports, police officers moved to the scene and found the body dangling from the ceiling. He had no injuries and had not left a suicide note,” he said.

The deceased father Mr Gachugu said  his son had been working at Wangu Investments but quit a month ago and demanded to be given his pension.

He said he had tried as a father to persuade the deceased to quit drinking to work but to avail.

“It’s an unfortunate incident. I had tried to persuade him to resume working but he declined. Instead he used his pension to drink and he might have decided to commit suicide after using all the savings,” he told the Nation.

Mr Gachugu said the deceased was the fourth born son in a family of eight who had divorced with his wife due to alcohol related problems.