This archive report was first published on 11 October 2019.
On Monday night, a 25-year-old man named Anderson Kipyegon Koskei took his own life in Kiptemenio village, Mogonget sub-location, Konoin constituency, Bomet County.
According to a police report, Koskei consumed herbicides before hanging himself from a tree using a nylon piece of cloth. The body had no visible external injuries, and there was no sign of struggle at the scene.
Area assistant chief Elijah Rotich stated that Koskei was a casual labourer at a local farmer's home, where his body was found dangling on a tree at around 10 pm.
Police recovered a phone from the scene, which contained short text messages (SMS) indicating a passionate exchange with a person whose name was only saved as 'sweetheart.'
A pair of sandals, a mobile phone, a small black torch, a small measuring cup, and a quarter-full plastic container containing substances believed to be herbicides branded OSHO-D-AMINE were also recovered at the foot of the tree.
The body was removed from the scene by the police and taken to Kapkatet sub-county hospital in the neighbouring Kericho County to await postmortem and subsequent release to the next of kin for burial.
As reported, this incident comes as a high number of suicide cases have been reported in the county, with some involving primary school pupils.
— Joseph Obwocha, KNA
