Missing Moi university student found dumped in river

A former Moi University student who disappeared mysteriously early this month was found brutally killed and dumped in a river in Thika.

Shukri Mohammed, 24, went missing from his mother’s home in Kaptembwo estate, Nakuru town, on April 4 at around 8.35am. His body was recovered by police officers dumped in a river in Ol Donyo Sabuk on April 8.

According to the family, Mohammed’s eyes had been gouged out, his tongue cut off and his hands and legs tied with a piece of rope.

Mohammed’s brother, Mohammed Hussein, said he learnt about the death from social media, where news of the same went viral.

“I learnt about the death of my brother from my friends on social media, who stated that a body of a  man dressed in a kanzu had been spotted in a river and later taken to City Mortuary,” said Hussein.

He said the family went to the mortuary but it was almost impossible to identify their kin because his body was mutilated.

“The body was mutilated and the only thing that helped us identify him were his teeth and toes,” said Hussein. His mother, Halima Tacho, said it is unfortunate for him to have been killed at a time they were expecting him to graduate.

Mohammed had studied business management purchasing and supplies and was expected to graduate in August this year.

Tacho said on the day he went missing, he woke up at around 4am, prepared a meal and prayed. She said he was fasting. Tacho said that after he ate, her son received a phone call from a friend, who asked to meet him in Nakuru town but he insisted he wanted to attend prayers at Jumuia Mosque first.

“My son left the house at around 8.35am, saying he was headed for prayers in town and would later meet a friend then come back home,” said Tacho. At around 1pm, she said she tried calling him but he did not pick her calls - his mobile phone was later switched off. “I tried getting in contact with his brothers and friends to establish if anyone knew where he was but nobody knew,” she said.

When she failed to trace him, the family reported the matter at Kaptembwo Police Post on April 6, but were referred to CID.

However, while at the CID headquarters, Tacho said officers showed her a photo of Mohammed’s friend, the one who had accompanied him, but that they could not explain how they obtained it.

“It was clear the CID officers knew something about my son’s disappearance,” she said.

The family is now calling on police to open investigations into the mysterious disappearance and killing.

Nakuru Police Commander Hussein Barua said police have intensified their investigations.