Police suspect suicide as KDF soldier’s body found in bush

The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) soldier whose lifeless body was found lying in a thicket in Hindi, Lamu West is suspected to have committed suicide.

Lamu County Commissioner Irungu Macharia told the Nation on Sunday evening that the circumstances surrounding the soldier’s death prove beyond doubt that he might have killed himself due to some frustrations.

Mr Macharia said locals who had earlier spotted the soldier said he was behaving awkwardly, including talking to himself.

INVESTIGATIONS

But the county commissioner said police had already launched intensive investigations into the matter in order to ascertain the real cause of the soldier’s behaviour and his subsequent death.

“Thorough investigations are underway to ascertain the exact cause of the KDF soldier’s death. I, however, suspect he might have committed suicide. Those who spotted him earlier are saying he was running here and there on the streets. Sometimes he could be seen talking to himself. Others say at some points the soldier could be seen taking off his uniform. That’s an indication that he was mentally disturbed and could have arrived at the decision to take his own life. We shouldn’t, however, speculate too much since police are doing the investigations,” said Mr Macharia.

HALF NAKED

Eyewitnesses who talked to the Nation said the soldier’s body was half naked.

“We found his body in the bush. His pants were hanging on a tree at the same place. There was no blood at the scene,” said Mr Anthony Mwangi, a boda boda rider in Hindi.

Ms Lydia Wairimo said they couldn’t believe that the officer whom they had earlier spotted doing physical exercises along the Hindi road a few days ago was the one whose body was found in the bush.

'JOGGING'

“It’s the same soldier we saw yesterday running along Hindi road. We thought he was doing physical exercises as is the norm for KDF soldiers. It’s unfortunate that he’s dead,” said Ms Wairimo.

Last month, a KDF soldier was found dead and his body charred with petrol cans besides it just near a drinking den in Mtongwe, Likoni.

Police also said the officer might have committed suicide since there were no signs of any struggle.