Teacher dies by suicide after reportedly losing money in Aviator

A secondary school teacher in Nyamira, employed under Board of Management (BOM), was on Thursday found dead in a suspected cases of death by suicide.

Area assistant Chief Johnson Manyara identified the deceased as Kevin Omwenga, a teacher of Chemistry and Mathematics at Nyamira Boys secondary school.

According to some of the teachers, Omwenga, an Aviator betting game enthusiast, was deep in debt, and had borrowed money even from colleagues, alleged to be in the tune of Ksh50,000 -- part of which he may have lost playing Aviator.

“I have gathered from his colleagues that he borrowed a lot of money, but lost most of it playing Aviator game,” said Manyara.

Nyamira Boys School principal George Onkundi said the deceased was seen near the school on Wednesday – but didn’t report to work.

“He had not yet been employed by the TSC, but was teaching with us under BOM for the past four years. He didn’t show any sign of stress,” said the principal.

According to the principal, calls made to Omwenga's phone one Wednesday night and Thursday morning went unanswered, prompting some of the teachers to walk to his house to check on him.

After knocking on the door incessantly, the teachers peeped through the window only to see his body hanging by the neck. It was then that the police and the area assistant chief were called to the scene.

Omwenga’s wife and their one-year-old child had travelled to the village to see his sick mother.

The body was taken to Nyamira referral hospital.