Police in Eldoret are investigating the death of a missing cancer patient whose body was found mauled by dogs in a bushy area near a river.
According to Uasin Gishu police boss Benjamin Mwanthi, the 53-year-old man, who had throat cancer, was admitted to a local hospital but disappeared on January 21, 2025. After his family and hospital staff reported his disappearance, police launched a search operation.
Officers later discovered the patient’s body nearly a kilometer from the hospital. Stray dogs had severely mauled the remains, leaving them in an advanced state of decomposition, with some parts reduced to skeletal form.
Mwanthi confirmed that the deceased was a local resident and that investigations are ongoing to determine the circumstances surrounding his disappearance and death.
“DCI officers are still investigating the incident, but the patient has been identified, and his family has been informed,” Mwanthi stated.
Police revealed that before leaving the hospital, the patient removed his hospital garments, changed into his clothes, and walked out unnoticed during the night. Authorities are now investigating how he managed to exit through the back of the hospital and why security personnel failed to detect him leaving.
“We have recorded statements at the hospital to establish what happened and whether negligence was involved,” Mwanthi added.
After discovering the body, police called the patient’s family to the scene before transferring it to a local morgue as investigations continue.
