Two students from Omosasa Mixed Secondary School accused of stealing exam papers narrowly escaped death on Wednesday night following a failed suicide attempt.
The students who are recuperating at Nyamira General Hospital had been sent home by the school administration after they were found with end of term examination papers.
Hospital medical superintendent Cyrus Ayunga said Thursday the students had taken poison for fear of being punished by their parents after the school principal suspended them over the alleged offence.
"Today morning we received two Form One female students from Omosasa Secondary School who had taken poison after they were suspended for being found in possession of examination papers but we have attended to them and are now in a stable condition," said Ayunga.
One of the students who spoke to journalists said they resorted to taking their lives for fearing of being punished by their parents.
She added that they bought the poison at Nyabite market after spending a night at a good Samaritan's house who had picked them up from Nyamira town.
"My colleague and I had stolen examination papers from the staff room and after the principal sent us home, we decided to take poison to avoid punishment from our parents," said the student.