Brian Mogaka, a 22-year-old student at Chuka University, is said to have died while being disciplined by his uncles at their home in Nyakongo, Nyamira North.

A relative who sought anonymity confirmed he was assaulted the entire day as punishment.

Mogaka was reportedly disciplined for drug use as he had been expelled from the University for abusing narcotics.

“He used to abuse bhang and the University sent him away because of the same problem,” a relative who sought anonymity told The Standard.

“The mother had sought help from the boy’s uncles, whom he authorized to beat him up. They tied his hands and legs before unleashing terror on him the whole day,” the kin said.

There was controversy in the village as the uncles’ account of the boy’s death differed from that of the other villagers who pointed an accusing finger at them for administering undeserved punishment to the deceased young man.

According to the uncles, the young man had swallowed poison after the punishment, but villagers said that after beating him unconscious, they changed his clothes, laid him on a bed, and planted a pesticide beside him.

Police officers from Nyamira North visited the home on  Wednesday and have launched investigations but are yet to release an official statement regarding the incident.

They transferred the body to Nyamira County Referral Hospital, where post-mortem is expected to be done.

Assistant chief, Joseph Masese of Ikonge Sublocation witnessed when the body was being transferred from the scene. He said the boy’s body bore several bruises and injuries that he suspected may have resulted from physical assault.