Family lives with body of kin for two years in ceiling of city house

The maisonette in Nyayo estate Embakasi, Nairobi where a human skeleton believed to be that of Peter Njagi Munyi, 22, who went missing in August 2014 was found. PHOTO | DENNIS ONSONGO | NATION MEDIA GROUP 

In Summary

• Ms Munyi’s visiting nephew, Nicassio Mbogo, went to the ceiling to check the water tank and found the body.
• A postmortem examination was conducted on Thursday by the government pathologist but the results were not released immediately.
• The estate chairman, blogger Robert Alai, said that the matter was never brought to their attention.

By ANGIRA ZADOCK
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A family in Nyayo Estate, Embakasi, Nairobi, has lived with the body of their son on their maisonette’s concrete ceiling for 28 months.

It was only on Wednesday evening when a visiting cousin of the deceased stumbled on the skeleton when he went up the ceiling to check on the water tank.

Now police have launched investigations into the mysterious death.

On Wednesday evening the family of Lucy Kina Munyi reported that they had found the skeleton of their son who went missing 28 months ago.

DISSAPERED IN 2014

Peter Njagi Munyi, 22 then, went missing in August 2014.

Police on Thursday asked how the family lived with the stench.

They said that even after interrogating the family it was still not yet clear how the body remained there undetected despite evidence that the trap door to the ceiling was frequently opened.

Even a neighbour who shares the same roof had not reported any foul smell.

Ms Munyi’s visiting nephew, Nicassio Mbogo, went to the ceiling to check the water tank and found the body.

NO FOLLOW UP
Mr Mbogo said in a statement to the police that he first saw a pair of shoes about four metres from the trapdoor and on a closer look saw a human skeleton on a mattress.

Next to the remains was a bag containing the clothes the family said belonged to the deceased, Njagi.

The square metre trap door appeared to be regularly opened, according to detectives.

The family owns the three-bedroom maisonette number 208.

The family said that they could positively identify the body by the clothes and the shoes.

EFFORTS TO TRACE SON

Ms Munyi said that on August 2014 she reported the Embakasi Police Station that her son was missing but could not remember the exact date.

By Thursday evening police had not confirmed whether the disappearance was actually reported.

It could not be established whether the family made any efforts to trace their missing kin.

“The mother said they reported at Embakasi in August 2014. She, however, did not make a follow up,” an investigator said.

The remains were photographed and taken to Chiromo Mortuary to establish the cause of death.

The mattress, the clothes, the pair shoes and other samples were taken as exhibits.

PROBE TO START
A post-mortem examination was conducted on Thursday by the government pathologist but the results were not released immediately.

The nephew who discovered the body, Mr Mbogo, had been grilled by the police.

Police also took a statement from Mr Lawrence Njeru, the deceased brother.

He was in the house when the body was found.

A security guard on duty on Wednesday evening said that she only saw a police vehicle parked near the gate.

The estate chairman, blogger Robert Alai, said that the matter was never brought to their attention.

Mr Alai said the family reported the macabre find to the police and the remains were taken away without any of the neighbours noticing.

Ms Munyi, the owner of Kina Wear Stores, was one of the main suppliers of Uchumi Supermarkets.

Nairobi County police commander Japheth Koome on Thursday said that an inquest file had been opened.