KCSE candidate drowns after dad's motorbike breaks down

A KCSE candidate killed himself by drowning in River Kuja to escape punishment for riding his father's motorbike without permission.

Erick Okinyi, 20, plunged into the river on Wednesday morning amid pursuit by his brothers. The Kibuon Secondary School student left home on Sunday with his father's motorbike. They thought he had gone to sell off the bike.

The motorbike developed mechanical problems before Okinyi abandoned it ar Riat trading centre.

Okinyi left home on Sunday with the bike. His brothers thought he was going to sell it for money.

The motorbike developed mechanical breakdown when he was riding it before he decided to abandon it at Riat trading centre.

“Okinyi feared he would be beaten up by his brothers for taking the motorbike without permission,” a neighbour said. 

His father George Ouma said he never expected his son would drown over the matter. “His brothers only wanted to take back the motorcycle since we heard information that it was abandoned at a garage in Riat due to breakdown,” Ouma said.

The search for Okinyi's body had begun. South Kanyikela chief Moses Ongong’a said they were working with divers to retrieve the body.

"I hope we'll retrieve the body either tomorrow or by Friday," Ong'onga said.