Proof Linda had been ill for days found in Bible

By Standard on Sunday Reporter

Though Gilgil Hills Academy administration insisted Linda Chepkorir Koech was taken ill suddenly and was rushed to hospital, get-well messages from Linda’s friends found in her Bible tell a different story. The ‘get-well soon’ messages written between July 26-28, 2008 show that she had been sick for sometime.

"The school tried its best to hide the fact that my daughter had been unwell and did not receive medical attention she deserved but God showed us through these cards," said her mother, Mrs Rose Koech.

The director, Mr Isaac Kamunya, had said he was not aware of Linda’s sickness and the school administration should not be blamed. However he could not say if indeed Linda died in the school dormitory or in the hospital. He also denied that his teachers, school nurse, and the matron were to blame for negligence. "Let it be very clear that I am not ready to sit down and see my efforts go down the drain over this unfortunate incident," he vowed.

He said he had carried out investigations and established that Linda was given drugs by school nurse.

Mr Joseph Koech, the father, said the school refused to take responsibility of her daughter’s death and instead tried to intimidate them. He said the nurse whom the school said treated Linda also gave contradicting accounts on how she died. "She kept changing the story every time we inquired," he said.

The couple said they transferred Linda to Gilgil while she was in Class Five at Lions Academy in Nakuru because they were impressed with the performance of her new school.