Police in Kisumu County are investigating an incident where school guards and students of Joel Omino Secondary School allegedly assaulted a student, resulting in his death.
According to the kin of Stephen Oluoch, the boy succumbed to injuries inflicted by school prefects after he allegedly attacked one of them.
Philgona Adhiambo; mother to the deceased, said his son was sent home over school fees arrears on Friday last week, but returned, hoping to be allowed to sit his exams and pay later.
On returning to school, Oluoch reportedly forced his way into the institution, ran and hid in his class after receiving severe beating from the guards who had been ordered not to let people with fee arrears in.
In class, his prefect, also under orders not to let students yet to clear their fees in, reportedly mocked him, resulting in a clash, after which the prefect allegedly called in his colleagues to assault him.
“Since we had no money, Oluoch decided to return to school hoping to plead with the management to let him sit the exam and clear the fees later,” said the mother.
According to the mother, after being assaulted, the boy was handed over to police officers from Nyalenda Police Station by the school principal.
The boy later died at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital days after being admitted in the ICU.
Nyanza Regional police boss Vincent Makoha told the Standard that an inquest has been opened into the case, in a bid to get to the bottom of the matter.
School Principal Richard Nyalal admitted that the boy was sent home, but denied the assault claims, with County Education Director Isaac Etebe saying the assault claims cannot he ascertained.
"Officials from the Ministry of Education visited the school and even wrote a report over the matter. You can get much information from that document,” the principal told the paper.