Body of missing Naivasha businessman found dumped in cave

   

A five-day search for missing Naivasha businessman ended on a tragic note after his decomposing body was found dumped in a cave.

The trader Joseph Mbugua went missing last week after receiving a call from unknown people only to be found brutally murdered in Ereri area off the Naivasha-Mai Mahiu road.

The trader is suspected to have been tortured before he was strangled using a wire and stabbed him on the chest.

Emotions ran high after locals discovered the body that was covered with sand before officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) moved in document the scene.

A local leader John Mwai said that the deceased was involved in sand harvesting and transportation around Longonot and Mai Mahiu towns.

Mwai said the trader was reportedly lured to his death through a phone call, with the promise of a business opportunity.

“Hours after he received the call, his phone went off and we searched for him until the body was found in one of the sand valleys in Ereri area,” he said.

Naivasha DCIO Isaac Kiama said they were piecing together the deceased's last moments in efforts to arrest the assailants.

Kiama revealed that the trader’s mobile phone was missing when his body was discovered by sand harvesters in one of the caves.

“The murder looks like a deal gone wrong and our officers have started their investigations and it’s a matter of time before we get those responsible,” he said.

The police boss suspects that Mbugua could have been tortured owing to the wounds on his body.

Meanwhile, cases of suicide in Naivasha continue to rise after a 28-year-old man took his life in Kayole estate off the Nairobi-Nakuru highway.

The body of the casual laborer was found hanging in his house by neighbors after going missing for a day.

The CID boss said that the deceased did not leave behind a suicide note and they are yet to establish the motive behind the decision.

“We have seen a spike in cases of suicide in Naivasha in the last two months and most are due to financial challenges, marital fallout and even substance abuse,” he said.