A family in Kisima Village, Nyahururu town, is seeking justice for their 17-year-old son, Stephen Njuguna, who was fatally beaten for allegedly stealing a cloth worth KSh500 from a shop in Nyahururu town.
Angry residents took to the streets on Tuesday, May 14, 2024, demanding justice for Njuguna, citing numerous similar cases in recent months.
The residents are determined not to relent in their quest for justice and have given an ultimatum to the Laikipia County government to revoke the shop’s license and shut it down immediately.
“This shop has only been open for two years, but numerous cases of customer mistreatment have been reported, but the management has never come out and condemned such incidents,” said Samuel Wandeto, a town resident.
The residents are determined not to be intimidated in their pursuit of justice and have issued an ultimatum to the Laikipia County government.
Meanwhile, back at his home, a somber atmosphere enveloped as family members and friends gathered to provide support to the grieving family, who have been deeply affected by their son’s death. Mr. James Muraya, the father, discovered that his son was being detained in one of the rooms at the shop and dispatched his mother to look into the matter.
“After receiving a call from the shop’s owners, I sent my wife there, and she was told that Njuguna had stolen a cloth worth Ksh500, and the rules require them to pay 10 times the amount of cloth, which is Ksh5000,” Muraya stated.
The mother demanded to see her son, and when she finally met him, Njuguna complained of stomach pain, prompting her to inquire whether he had been beaten, which the workers confirmed.
”We took our son back home, but the pain was getting worse, so we were forced to take him to Nyahururu County Referral Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on Saturday evening by the doctor in charge,” Muraya added.
Mr. Muraya is urging authorities to conduct swift investigations to uncover the truth behind his son’s tragic death, while the family continues to mourn their loss.
The body of the deceased has been transferred to the Nyahururu Sub County hospital morgue.
