Fresh details have emerged regarding the mysterious death of a Gatanga CCM Secondary School student in March 2019.
On the eve of a “walk for justice” for Ebbie Noelle Samuels, who died in a dormitory in 2019, Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) George Kinoti seemed to suggest that he had finally cracked the case.
In a statement issued on Wednesday night, Mr Kinoti said Gatanga CCM Girls High School managers provided false information on what led to Ebbie’s death.
According to the DCI, investigations are in advanced stages and it has been established that the girl was assaulted severely by a senior administrative member during evening preps, on allegations that her hair had been styled contrary to school regulations.
The Form 1 student died amid contradicting accounts from the school administration, who had earlier said that she died in sleep after complaining of chest pains during the day.
Additionally, the school’s deputy principal had claimed that the deceased was rushed to the hospital after she fell sick but died while receiving treatment, but the facility refuted the account, saying that they received a dead body.
Ebbie is said to have been found unresponsive in the morning by her colleagues when they tried to wake her up.
An autopsy later revealed that she bled to death after she was hit with an object on her forehead, breaking her skull leading to internal bleeding.
The DCI, in a report on Wednesday, said that it had taken over investigations into the case in January this year and had interviewed students of the now-St. Anuarite Gatanga Girls School.
“The detectives sought to record statements from witnesses who include [the student]’s friends and classmates and on January 11, a team of seasoned homicide detectives was dispatched for the assignment,” read the report.
The George Kinoti-led agency, however, raised alarm over what it described as witness intimidation by the school’s administration, saying it had resorted to engaging the students over the ongoing holiday.
“However, they found the school environment intimidating for the witnesses and opted to take their statements once the schools were closed, during the ongoing holiday.”
Added DCI: “The detectives are also investigating a conspiracy to defeat justice by the school administration, which gave contradictory statements and has been intimidating students.”
