A Mombasa-based magistrate is in critical condition at a local hospital following an apparent suicide attempt, according to sources close to the family and colleagues.
The magistrate reportedly jumped from a roof into a neighboring compound.
A family member, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the incident, stating, “Our kin was rushed to the hospital, and medics have informed us that she is in critical condition. She has appeared extremely depressed and distressed in recent days. We are praying for her recovery.”
A colleague from the Coast region confirmed the magistrate’s hospitalization but declined to disclose her identity, citing concerns over privacy and potential public backlash or online harassment.
A hospital official in Mombasa reported that the magistrate was brought to the facility by ambulance and was unresponsive upon arrival.
Sources within the judiciary suggest that many judicial officers, particularly magistrates and Kadhis, face significant mental health challenges.
They claim the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) offers limited support to address these issues.
“Magistrates often face online abuse, and despite raising complaints, the JSC appears unresponsive. The public’s concerns are prioritized over ours, and magistrates are frequently interdicted on minor grounds,” said a magistrate based in Mandera.
Judicial officers are now urging the Chief Justice to address their grievances and improve support systems before her tenure concludes.
In a tragic incident that has left the University of Nairobi community reeling, a student was discovered deceased at the university’s main campus swimming pool early Tuesday morning.
The body of a third-year Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery student was found in the early hours of April 22, 2025, according to a statement released by the University of Nairobi Student Association (UNSA).
While authorities are still investigating the circumstances surrounding the death, it’s suspected that Dennis Kamunya died by suicide as he posted farewell notes on his social media pages.
Prior to the incident, the student had shared reflective thoughts on social media that offered a glimpse into their state of mind.
In one post, they wrote about valuing the opportunity to learn about evolution, stating: “The greatest thing about life was that I got to learn about evolution. I belong to one of the few generations that got to know how and possibly why we are here.”
In another message, they acknowledged personal struggles but maintained perspective: “Even though anxiety/depression/addiction troubled me, I still count myself lucky,” the student posted on X.
“The student was a bright and promising individual, known for dedication to studies, warmth, and quiet strength. This passing is a painful loss not only to classmates and lecturers but also to the entire Health Science community,” read part of the UNSA statement.
University officials confirmed that students are typically only permitted to use the campus swimming facility during afternoon hours, raising questions about access to the pool during early morning hours.
University of Nairobi main campus.
This marks the second such tragedy at the institution in recent months.
On September 4, a fifth-year medical student at the university was also found deceased in what police described as a suspected suicide.
According to police reports, that student’s body was discovered with the head covered with nylon paper at the main hall residence, believed to have died on the evening of September 2.
The recent incident has prompted UNSA to call for increased attention to mental health support on campus. “As a community of future healthcare providers, we must continue to normalize open conversations about mental well-being, checking in on each other, and seeking help when we need it. No one should have to struggle in silence,” stated UNSA’s Joseph Kariuki Njogu.
Police have launched an investigation into the incident and indicated that the cause of death will be officially determined following a postmortem examination.
The university has announced that counseling services are being made available to students and staff affected by this loss.
Mental health experts emphasize the importance of seeking help during difficult times and note that support is available through campus resources and national crisis helplines.
In a heart-wrenching incident that has left the Githogoro community in shock, a 35-year-old woman, Monicah Ndung’u, allegedly killed her four children before taking her own life in what appears to be a calculated act of revenge against her husband.
The tragedy unfolded in their modest home in Githogoro, an informal settlement near Runda, Nairobi, on the night of February 11, 2025.
According to reports, Ndung’u’s husband, John Mbugua popularly known as Junior Wa Githogoro, returned home past midnight to a chilling silence. After knocking repeatedly and receiving no response, he forced his way into their semi-permanent house, only to discover the lifeless bodies of his three young sons—Jayden Mbugua (4), Jaxen Ndung’u (2), and Jasper Kangethe (1.5)—hanging from door frames, strangled with household items like curtains and mosquito nets. Nearby lay the body of his wife, who had also taken her own life.
Monica Ndung’u
The scene was described as “horrific” by Samuel Wachira, a family friend and first responder, who recounted the harrowing details to local media. “The children seemed to have been killed in quick succession,” Wachira said. “It was a sight no one should ever have to witness.”
The Suicide Note
A handwritten, eight-page suicide note was left on the table, detailing Monicah’s frustrations, anger, and emotional distress. In the note, she accused her husband of neglect and infidelity, claiming he had abandoned their family emotionally and financially. She wrote that she wanted him to “feel the pain of loneliness” and blamed him entirely for her drastic actions.
“I am the one who has killed my children, and I take full responsibility. Do not pretend to mourn us. You left us long ago,” one section of the letter read.
She also issued specific instructions for her burial, demanding that her husband not attend her funeral and that she be buried within three days. The note contained derogatory remarks directed at her husband, accusing him of infidelity and neglect.
Marital Struggles and Warning Signs
The couple during their happy time.
Neighbors revealed that the couple had been facing serious marital issues for years. Friends described Monicah as withdrawn and often appearing stressed, but no one expected such an extreme outcome.
“She was a quiet woman, but you could tell she was deeply unhappy. They argued a lot, and sometimes she would even leave the house for days,” said a neighbor, Lucy Wanjiku.
Family members disclosed that Monicah had recently sent her younger sister a series of messages expressing her hopelessness and resentment toward her husband. However, no one imagined she would resort to such a horrifying act.
Mbugua, a frequent commentator on Kameme FM, also a social media influencer and community mobilizer, admitted that their marriage had been strained in recent months. He described his wife as an introvert who often accused him of cheating, allegations he consistently denied. “We had our challenges, but I never imagined it would come to this,” Mbugua said, fighting back tears. “Her actions seem premeditated—she even sent her niece away before doing this. She wanted to leave me struggling and depressed.”
The couple had been married for nearly a decade, having tied the knot in a church ceremony in 2015. Despite their struggles, Mbugua expressed disbelief at the extent of his wife’s actions. “All the things she wrote in the note are not true, but she has indeed written them. Sometimes men suffer in silence,” he said. The family has since decided not to honor her burial demands, choosing instead to focus on healing and seeking justice for the children.
Local authorities have launched an investigation into the incident. Gigiri Deputy Police Commander Fredrick Alata confirmed that Mbugua would be summoned to provide further details about the circumstances leading up to the tragedy. The bodies of the deceased have been taken to Kenyatta University Funeral Home for postmortem examinations.
Community leaders, including area chief Barnabas Masakhalia, have called for greater dialogue and support for families facing marital challenges. “It is saddening to discuss this matter because these are people I knew well,” Masakhalia said. “The solution to marital problems is never violence or taking lives. We must learn to communicate and seek help when needed.”
A female student from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) tragically lost her life last night after allegedly jumping from the third floor of an apartment in the Gate C area of Juja.
According to initial reports from witnesses at the scene, the young woman had a heated altercation with a man believed to be her boyfriend moments before the incident. It is alleged that she threw herself from the building where the man had rented an apartment and where they were living together as a couple.
Neighbors who heard the commotion rushed to the scene, but the student had already suffered critical injuries. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Detectives from Juja Police Station have since launched investigations into the circumstances surrounding the incident. They’re are working to establish whether the fall was indeed a case of suicide or if foul play was involved.
The identity of the deceased has not yet been officially released, pending notification of her family.
This is a developing story, and further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
Police are investigating an incident in which a 21-year-old student at the Zetech University died by suicide at an apartment he lived in Waiteithie, Thika.
Police said Ryan Kitari’s body was Wednesday December 11 morning found hanging on the wall of the upper floor of the apartment he lived.
He was an education student at the Zetech University Mangu campus.
He left a suicide note in which he blamed failure to proceed for teaching practices in January 2025 for the move.
Kitari specifically called out one of his lecturers, Doreen Mwangi, accusing her of jeopardizing his academic progress.
He alleged that Mwangi mishandled his grades and hindered his ability to proceed with his mandatory teaching practice scheduled for January 2025.
In a Facebook post, he wrote, “Shame on you, lecturer Doreen Mwangi… You jeopardized the only hope I had left. I did everything to keep this semester going despite financial constraints.”
The post also described Mwangi as a controversial figure among students, claiming she had a history of complaints and questioning her suitability as an educator.
Part of the suicide note the deceased left on his Facebook page.
Other colleagues at the university and locals thronged the scene on Wednesday on learning about the incident.
Police arrived at the scene and picked the body to Muriranjas Sub-County Hospital morgue for an autopsy as police continue their investigations.
The suicide message on his Facebook page detailed his struggles with financial hardship, academic pressure, and personal trauma.
The note also shed light on Ryan’s past, mentioning being raised by a single mother and the emotional scars from childhood molestation, which compounded his current struggles.
The incident has sparked conversations about the pressures faced by students, particularly those from less privileged backgrounds, and the impact of academic failures when coupled with financial distress.
Other colleagues took to the social media to mourn the death.
Cases of suicide have been on the rise amid calls to address the trend.
Elsewhere in Kahuro, Murang’a County, at Kirigo police station, a suspect identified as ideon Njuguna Kariuki, 41 hanged himself in the cells.
His body was found hanging from the ventilation grills tied with a piece of blanket.
The suspect had been arrested at Wandia area by the area chief Wanjengi location over claims of defilement.
The suspect was the only person in the cells at the time of the incident.
The body was moved to Muriranjas sub-county hospital morgue awaiting autopsy.
The World Health Organisation says such cases are attributed to joblessness, death, academic failures or pressures, legal and financial difficulties.
Other reasons are bullying, previous suicide attempts, history of suicide in a family, alcoholism and substance misuse, depression and bipolar disorder.
Police are investigating an incident in which a woman died Friday evening after jumping off the 14th floor of the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC).
The woman identified as Lucy but known as @seasonedbricks on X had reportedly been expressing suicidal thoughts on the social platform before the incident.
She posted a suicidal message on her handle before she went to KICC in the company of a relative and later went to the 14th floor, where she is believed to have jumped off.
The motive is yet to be known. Police said they are investigating if she died by suicide or was pushed off.
She landed near the Amphitheater area, and her body was badly dismembered.
The detectives from Parliament police station want to also establish how she accessed the window on the floor, given that it hosts offices.
The issue was widely discussed on the social media with many users demanding action to address the trend.
On Wednesday, a 45-year-old woman died after jumping from the nineteenth floor of the View Park Towers in Nairobi.
The police said they are investigating suicide in the Wednesday evening tragedy.
The detectives said Charity Muthoni Mutoi had visited the building on Wednesday, November 6, evening and took tea with a friend before she excused herself.
According to the police, she later climbed to the nineteenth floor, where she jumped off to her death. Guards who rushed to the scene found she had left her shoes, jacket, and mobile phone on the nineteenth floor before she jumped off.
The motive is yet to be established. She landed on top of a tent erected on the ground floor of the building,, where she succumbed to the injuries. It was established that the deceased had visited her male friend who has a printing business on the ground floor.
They were seen together taking tea but she excused herself and in a short while the friend received a message from her that she had decided to commit suicide.
Cases of suicide have been on the rise amid efforts to address the trend. Police say the trend has been worrying and increasing as up to two cases are reported daily.
The World Health Organization says such cases are attributed to joblessness, death, academic failures or pressures, legal difficulties and financial difficulties.
