An autopsy has confirmed that Multimedia University student Sylvia Kemunto was strangled and suffered multiple blunt force injuries.

Dr Johansen Oduor, the government pathologist, who led the post-mortem on Tuesday at Montezuma Monalisa funeral home in Nairobi, said the 19-year-old had clear signs of physical assault.

“Upon doing the autopsy, Sylvia had multiple injuries which were caused by blunt objects, there were injuries in the head and on both up and lower limbs. Apart from that, there was also evidence of strangulation, we saw injuries on the neck which we see on people who have been strangled,” said Dr Oduor.

He said that the examination also found that there were injuries to the soft tissues beneath the skin.

“We did what is called subcutaneous resection of the body, in which we look at the tissues of the skin, and we look at the tissue of the skin of the upper limb. There are a lot of injuries, which you see in the defense injuries. To me, that showed that this person was trying to defend herself prior to being killed,” said Dr. Oduor.

Family lawyer Danstan Omari, who was present during the autopsy, termed the killing as cold-blooded and calculated. 

“It is now very clear that this was murder most foul. This young girl was murdered in her room, then moved to the suspect’s room and later carried to the rooftop of a student hostel inside Multimedia University,” said Omari.

Sylvia’s body was discovered last week, stuffed inside a water tank on top of the hostel building, three days after she was last seen.

The prime suspect, 19-year-old Erick Mutinda, is currently in police custody and was arraigned on Monday before Kibera Magistrate Zainab Abdul.

The court allowed detectives to hold him for 21 days at Capitol Hill police station as investigations continue.

According to Omari, the movements of the suspect who is said to have transported the body in a suitcase raise serious concerns about security inside the university.

“The suspect placed the suitcase on his bed and even slept on it. Later, he is said to have moved the body to the rooftop, using a ladder to access the tank. That is a lot of time and effort. It is humanly not possible that one person could have carried a body of a girl who was around 55 to 60 kg,” said Omari.

He added: “The questions the family are pushing across to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions is one, what is the role of the university in protecting girls who are in the hostels that are owned by the university? Two, where were the security apparatus of the university? Because this is a hostel within the university.”

The family is appealing for public support to help give Sylvia a dignified send-off.

Omari clarified that no funds will be used for legal representation, which is being handled for free under the Sheria Mtaani initiative.

“We are offering our services pro bono. The only thing the family needs now is support for burial expenses,” he said.

Shadrack Wamboi, also a family lawyer, said that further forensic analysis is underway to link the suspect directly to the crime.

“Samples have been taken for DNA analysis, and the clothes Sylvia was wearing at the time have been sent for forensic testing. We want to establish whether there is DNA material from the suspect,” he said.

Wamboi also stated that a formal letter would be sent to Multimedia University holding the administration accountable for lapses in student safety.

“It is disturbing that a parent would send a child to school, only to be told days later that she has died under mysterious circumstances within a school facility,” he said.

Peter Mugeni, the uncle to the late Sylvia, said that the family is devastated by what happened.

“We are devastated by the happenings. As a family, we are grateful to the medical team for shedding light on what happened to Sylvia. We are satisfied with their findings,” said Mugeni.