JKUAT law student dies by suicide in her hostel in Ongata Rongai

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Detectives are investigating an incident where a female law student was found dead after a suicide incident in Gataka, Ongata Rongai, Kajiado County.

Police said the victim, Bigonia Mutanu Maluki, 19 was a law student at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture Technology, Karen Campus (JKUAT).

The motive of the April 1, 2026 incident was not immediately known. Her roommate said she came back to the hostel and found her body hanging on a beam of a roof with a curtain sheet tied around her neck.

The police were called to the scene and moved the body to the mortuary pending other procedures. Her parents were informed of the incident, police said. Her colleagues said she had not shown any signs of stress to warrant her moves.

Police said they were investigating the incident, which was one of the five that were reported on Wednesday alone.

There has been a rise in such incidents with mental trauma linked to the same.

In Malindi, Kilifi County, a 28-year-old man was found dead and his body hanging on a tree with a rope tied around his neck after a suicide incident. The man identified as Prince Kazungu had gone to work on March 30 but failed to return home. His body was found on a mango tree on April 1 and moved to the mortuary pending other procedures. It is not clear what motivated the incident.

Suicide cases have been on the rise with police recording up to five daily.

Most of the victims are men, statistics show amid probe on the same.

The World Health Organisation says such cases are attributed to joblessness, death, academic failures or pressures, legal difficulties and financial difficulties.

Other reasons are bullying, previous suicide attempts, history of suicide in a family, alcoholism and substance misuse, depression and bipolar disorder.

The government says there are efforts being made to address the menace.