As she lay on the cold ground at the Eveready roundabout on Sunday morning, Eileen Cherotich was taking in her last breath.

This day that ended so tragically started just like any other.

On that Saturday of July 13, 2024, after she left her house at Kabasis, the 22 year old made her way to Nakuru City Centre, where she had gone to get her hair done.

By the time she was finished, she received a call at around 8pm.

Pieces of braids remain where Eileen's body was found at the Eveready roundabout.

Photo credit: BRET SANYA/MTAA WANGU

Her friend Brenda was on the other end, inviting her to a night out in the company of two other men one of them being Eileen's boyfriend.

The quartet made their way to Platinum 7D. As Eileen danced to the tunes of DJ lyta and Dj festa the night went on. Eventually, it was time to retire.

However, something happened to her between the entertainment joint and the Eveready round about where her body was found.

A close confidant who was among the first people to arrive at the scene, Karen Maina* says she could not believe her eyes.

"Her hair had been pulled off and she was laying lifeless in a pool of blood," she narrates visibly shocked.

While speaking to Mtaa Wangu, Karen had teary eyes and a shaky voice announcing the trauma that the last image of her friend had embedded in her.

But how did she find herself at the scene?

"It was late at night. I was sleeping and at around 2:45 am on Sunday, Joseph, the driver who was in the car with Eileen, Erick and Brenda called me and told me that something bad had happened to Eileen" she says.

"I quickly jumped out of bed. Joseph was already at the gate so he picked me from my house at Kabasis. When I asked him where Eileen was, he told me she had been left by the side of the road with Brenda."

Karen continues, "On our way to Eveready, Joseph kept telling me, Wewe utasema ulikuwa unatoka shughuli zako town ukapata ajali imefanyika. Hii kitu ikijulikana tutafungwa milele."

Karen insists that she kept asking Joseph what happened to Eileen but he insisted it was a road crash.

She however says she did not stick to that script, but instead decided to tell her side of the story to the police.

The vehicle belonging to one of the suspects is being held at Kaptembwa police station.

Photo credit: BRET SANYA/MTAA WANGU

According to the DCI Kaptembwa, Charles Kamau, Brenda and Joseph are the two suspects who are still in custody, while Eric the supposed boyfriend of Eileen is still at large.

Back at the Rift Valley Institute of Science and Technology (RVIST) where Elileen studied, there are feelings of anger, fear and sadness among most of the students who reside in the area.

Speaking to Rachel Koskei, a student, she says it is scary as they feel this incident could happen to any of them.

“She was very lively and social with everyone. There is a saying don't ever think something can never happen to you, we do not even know who to trust anymore" she says.

Eileen was a Human Resource student in her second year.

Her body was taken to Nakuru county mortuary awaiting post-mortem.

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Bret Sanya