Police: Minister's son committed suicide

By Cyrus Ombati

Finance minister Njeru Githae's 24-year-old son commits suicide at family's Runda home. [Photo: File/Standard]

By Cyrus Ombati

The youngest son of Finance minister Robinson Njeru Githae committed suicide in a bizarre incident in their Runda residence in Nairobi.

The body of the late Brian Karanga Njeru, 24, a fourth year computer science student at the University of Nairobi''s Chiromo Campus was found in his room on Wednesday night long after he had failed to turn up for lunch in the day.

Police reports showed they were investigating a suicide incident involving Brian. Apparently, Brian was supposed to turn up from his house to that of their father for lunch but did not do so.

An employee at the compound told police they discovered his lifeless body at the room late in the evening after Brian had failed to turn up for lunch as usual before he could leave for classes.

The family said they were shocked by the death of the last born of the Githae's and were waiting for the postmortem report to confirm the cause of the death.

A spokesman Dr Peter Githae said Brian was found dead in his room and they could not reveal much on the same.

"For now we have to wait for the postmortem report to confirm the cause of the death. It was shocking news to us all after the discovery of the body in the room," said Dr Githae.

Police said they were called to the compound on Wednesday evening after the discovery of the lifeless body.

It was then that the family was allowed the to remove the body to Lee Funeral Home where it was preserved.

Mr Githae was reportedly planning to travel to the US for an official event and was forced to cancel it in the wake of the tragedy. He later joined his family and friends at the Lee Funeral Home on Wednesday night.

He could not talk to journalists who visited his home on Thursday as he was in closed talks with other family members.

A police report concluded the incident was a suicide one but they were yet to know the motive because no note was left behind over the same.

Nairobi Area deputy police boss Moses Ombati told The Standard Digital they were treating the incident as suicide. Another officer said they found a rope in the deceased's room, an indication he may have hanged himself.

"Officers who visited the scene concluded it was a suicide incident. Lets wait for more details on the same," said Ombati.

Friends, neighbours and relatives thronged to the minister's palatial home yesterday to condole him. Their faces were full of shock and grief on being briefed on the incident.

Apart from Brian, the Githaes had two other sons.
Brian's friends and classmates described him as jovial and social man who loved hanging out with many people.