A family in Matobo village at the outskirts of Kericho town has been living in agony after their mentally ill kin went missing, three years ago and has not been seen since.
Kenneth Kipyegon Keter, aged 25 years, who went missing on February 2, 2018 was last seen at Nyagacho Trading centre at 8pm by close friends as he walked back home from Kericho town soon after alighting from a Toyota Probox taxi.
In an interview with the mother, Esther Kirui at her home, she said her last born son left home at 5pm and was allegedly seen alighting from a Toyota Probox taxi whose driver Abdulahi Langat is their neighbour.
She added that her son was mentally ill and has been on medication since 2016, which she used to administer through an injection once a month. She fears that without the said prescription her son’s health could have deteriorated seriously.
“I was with my son that morning and afternoon before he left for Kericho town at around 5pm and was last seen alighting from a Toyota Probox taxi at around 8pm by the driver of the said vehicle, as well as other passengers who had boarded the vehicle. My spirit tells me that my son is alive and I still pray for his well-being because without his monthly dose of Monticate medication to treat his mild mental disability he may have turned violent. He is well disciplined and he had many friends here who would send him for small errands in Kericho town and would be happy to assist them, “said a distressed Mama Kirui.
His brother Abdul Keter said he had visited police stations, hospitals, prisons and several mortuaries to check if Kipyegon could be among the sick, the jailed or the dead but was not lucky in any of them.
“On that day my brother left home wearing a red T-shirt, a jean trouser, a leather jacket and white shoes. We have looked for Ken at police stations, prisons in Kericho town and even extended our search to Nakuru, Migori and Kisumu counties. We have visited morgues in Nakuru County as well as the one in Molo Sub-County and this left us very disturbed after trying to identify our lost kin from the bodies in these morgues yielded nothing. We have circulated his photo and details on Whatsapp and Facebook social media sites. We went back to inquire if police had received any information on our kin’s whereabouts in August,” disclosed Keter.
The matter was reported at Nyagacho police station and booked under O.B. 11/06/2/2018 with a follow up of the same three months ago.
Keter appealed to anyone who has seen his younger brother Kenneth who is 6 feet tall, fluent in Kiswahili and Kipsigis languages to report to the nearest police station or call them on 0722306645, 0722700148 or 0725860904.
By Sarah Njagi
