A 56-year-old man died after reportedly falling into a borehole while carrying out excavation work in Rachuonyo South Sub-County, Homa Bay County.
The deceased, identified as Wilfred Onyiego from Rera Village in Kisii County, had been contracted to deepen a 20-foot borehole at Nyabola Village in Konuong’a Location.
According to police, the borehole owner left for Homa Bay Town on July 15 after assigning Onyiego the task and returned later that night without inspecting the site.
On the afternoon of July 16, the owner became suspicious after spotting a shirt believed to belong to the worker hanging on a nearby banana tree. Upon checking the borehole, he discovered Onyiego’s body inside and alerted police.
Police visited the scene and established that the rope Onyiego had used to descend into the borehole had snapped, causing him to fall into the water-filled shaft, where he drowned.
The scene was documented before the body, which had no visible external injuries, was retrieved and taken to Rachuonyo County Hospital Mortuary pending a post-mortem examination.
Police have launched investigations into the incident, which they are treating as an accidental drowning.
In a separate incident, a 22-year-old miner died after collapsing while working inside a mine in Kehancha Township, Kuria West Sub-County, Migori County.
The deceased, identified as Evans Isaboke Videlis, also known as Babu Mwita, was working in a mine when the incident occurred at around 9 a.m. on Thursday.
Police officers visited and processed the scene. Preliminary investigations indicate that the deceased collapsed inside the mine, with investigators suspecting inadequate oxygen supply as the likely cause.
The body was moved to Kehancha Sub-County Hospital Mortuary, where it awaits a post-mortem examination as investigations continue.
Meanwhile, detectives have launched a murder investigation after the body of a 39-year-old man was discovered in a tea plantation behind Mukuuri Catholic Church in Embu East Sub-County, Embu County.
The deceased, identified as Gibson Murithi, was found on Thursday after members of the public alerted authorities to a body lying in the plantation.
Police officers visited and processed the scene.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the deceased had sustained deep panga cuts to the head, blunt force trauma and partial burns on the thighs. Investigators believe the body had been covered with dry tea leaves and prunings in an apparent attempt to conceal the crime and burn the remains.
Police recovered suspected murder weapons from the scene.
The deceased's former wife was arrested and taken to Runyenjes Police Station for further interrogation as detectives investigate the circumstances surrounding the killing.
The body was moved to Ena Hospital Mortuary pending a post-mortem examination.
Investigations into the murder are ongoing.
