This archive report was first published on 6 December 2019.
On December 6, 2019, a tragic incident shook the community in Trans Nzoia county, where a 14-year-old boy was found dead in his family's compound, a victim of apparent suicide.
The boy, a former pupil of Ngonyek Primary School, had scored an impressive 324 marks out of 500 in the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exam, held earlier that year.
However, his mother was reportedly dissatisfied with the results and allegedly pressured him to repeat Class 8, so he could score better marks and secure a place in a national school.
Confirming the incident, County Police Commander Ayub Gitonga described it as 'absurd' and launched investigations into the matter.
Gitonga suspected that the boy had taken his own life under the pressure from his mother, and the body was taken to the Kitale County Referral Mortuary for post-mortem.
