Police in Nyeri County have launched a probe after a 62-year-old woman, Jane Wangui Ndirangu, was found dead after allegedly taking her own life using a lesso tied to a house rafter within her compound.
The report was made to Kamakwa Police Station by the area sub-chief on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, at 10:10 am.
According to police who talked to her husband, Wangui left their house at around 6 am while he was still asleep.
He said he discovered her body hours later, near a maize garden in their homestead.
A suicide note was found inside a Bible in their sitting room, in which the deceased cited debts amounting to Sh67,435.
The husband stated he was unaware of the debts, officers said.
Police processed the scene, and the body was taken to Nyeri County and Referral Hospital Mortuary.
This is one of five separate suicide incidents reported across the country in the week.
The cases, which occurred in Nyeri, Kisii, Meru and Nairobi counties, have prompted authorities to begin formal investigations into each incident.
In Kiiru Village, Kisii County, a man identified as Samwel Nyambane Onyinkwa, aged 40, was found dead by his son early on Wednesday morning.
The incident was reported by his brother, who was woken by the cries of a child from the deceased’s home.
Police established that Onyinkwa had supper with his two sons the previous evening and stayed behind while they went to sleep.
Officers said his wife was away visiting relatives.
In the morning, one of the children discovered their father’s body hanging by a mosquito net in his house.
The scene was processed, and the body, which showed no physical injuries, was moved to Gucha Sub-County Hospital Morgue awaiting postmortem.
In a separate case in Kingongo Estate, Nyeri, police were called after a five-year-old girl, Fidelis Wanjiru, informed a neighbour that her father had died by suicide.
The incident occurred on Tuesday, around 5 pm and was reported to Kingongo Police Post.
Police identified the deceased as Peter Githaiga Ndegwa, a 47-year-old man who was battling bone cancer and had been using hospital crutches for mobility.
Officers said he was found hanging from the bedroom door frame using a curtain cloth.
The body was moved to PGH Nyeri County Referral Hospital Mortuary, and the matter is being handled by the DCI Nyeri Central.
No suicide note was found.
In Kianjai, Meru County, police from Tigania Police Station responded to a suicide report involving Wendy Mwenda, a 21-year-old graduate of Murang’a University.
The report was made by James Kinoti, Deputy Manager of Kianjai Polytechnic, where the deceased was staying with her mother.
Mwenda was found dead in her room at the staff quarters on Tuesday, at around 5:30 am.
Officers said her mother discovered the body lying on the floor after cutting the manila rope and scarf used in the hanging.
Painkillers were found on a table nearby, but no suicide note was recovered, police added.
The scene was processed, and the body was moved to Meru Level V Hospital Mortuary.
Investigations continue.
In Kangemi, Nairobi County, the body of Cliff Nyangau, aged about 40, was found in his rented house.
The incident was reported to Spring Valley Police Station on Tuesday at 2:50 pm.
Nyangau was found hanging from the roof using a bedsheet.
Police established that he had been living alone.
The scene was processed, and the body was moved to Nairobi Funeral Home for postmortem.
According to the Ministry of Health, Suicide Prevention Strategy 2021-2026, the country has an “age-standardised suicide rate of 11.0 per 100,000 population, which translates to about four suicide deaths per day”.
In January 2025, the High Court declared the law criminalising suicide unconstitutional, reinforcing calls for better data transparency and mental health services.
