A first-year Multimedia University (MMU) student suspected of murdering fellow student Sylvia Kemunto has surrendered to police after nearly a week on the run.
The suspect, also a first-year student pursuing Electrical Engineering, turned himself in at Sultan Hamud Police Station in Makueni County on Thursday night. Nairobi Police Commander George Sedah confirmed a team had been dispatched to collect him for further interrogation.
Kemunto, a Mass Communication and Computer Science student, was reported missing on March 30 by her mother, Triza Kwamboka, after attempts to reach her failed. The mother told police her daughter had recently complained of a fellow student making unwelcome advances.
Investigations reveal Kemunto may have been killed in her hostel room, with her body later dragged to the rooftop and hidden in a water tank. A foul smell led university officials to the tank on Wednesday, where her decomposing body was discovered.
Witnesses reported seeing the suspect dragging Kemunto’s suitcase from her room to his, and later lying on it before it vanished. The suspect then reportedly fled to his rural home.
Authorities are working to determine if he acted alone and what his motives were.
MMU Acting Vice Chancellor Prof. Geoffrey Kihara confirmed the police are handling the matter. “It is clear the suspect entered the victim’s room on the day she disappeared,” he said.
The tragic incident has added to growing concern over the rising cases of femicide in the country, sparking calls for increased safety measures on university campuses. An autopsy is pending to determine the cause of death as investigations continue.
