Parents seek help after gangsters attack Machakos students

One Machakos University College student was killed in an attack by gangsters at an off-campus room he shared with two others.

The attackers hacked the trio with machetes, took their laptops, phones and money and left them for the dead.

One student died while the other two — identified as George Wabwire and Zacheus Maundu — were left unconscious, with deep cuts in their heads, chests and face.

The two were taken to Kenyatta National Hospital in a critical condition.

BRUTAL ATTACK

On the morning after the attack, their parents say they received a call asking them to travel to Nairobi immediately.

“The caller informed me that my son was sick only for me to find out when I arrived at the hospital that he had been brutally attacked,” said Melisa Omusula, Mr Wabwire’s mother.

At the hospital, Mrs Omusula met with Mr Mandu’s mother, Esther Lenya, and the two travelled to the university to seek help in clearing the medical bills.

Mr Mandu, a third-year student, suffered a fractured skull and a deep cut in his neck.

By Monday evening the two students had accumulated a bill of Sh220,000.

FINANCIAL HELP

At the university, the mothers say help was not forthcoming.

Ms Lenya alleged that they also visited the divisional police commander's office in Machakos for information on the incident, but the police refused to share their report, saying the college had already recorded the matter.

Contacted for comment, the college, though the vice-chancellor’s personal assistant, said a payment for the hospital was being processed that would later be claimed from the insurance company.

Machakos OCPD Joseph Tenai said one suspect was arrested in connection with the killing of the student. The suspect, who was arrested last week, has since been charged in court.

Mr Tenai said two other suspects were on the run but police were on their trail.

The police boss said he was not aware that the parents' request for a police report had been rebuffed and urged them to go and get it from him.

“Why do they want to politicise the matter? They can come to me for the OB number," Mr Tenai said.