BY WINSTONE MUSISI
The parents of the late police Corporal Caroline Kangogo hosted a handful of close family members, relatives and friends for her first memorial in a relatively low-key event that was held at their Nyawa home in Keiyo North, Elgeyo Marakwet County.
Her parents, Barnabas and Leah Korir said they organized the event in her remembrance as a sign of love to their late first borne daughter whom they described as disciplined and law abiding citizen.
“We have no words to describe how we loved and cared for our daughter. It was a sad moment in our lives on the fateful day we stumbled on her lifeless body in the bathroom outside our main house,” said a sobbing Korir.
The Tambach Catholic Church parish presided over the memorial service in which the local administration, leadership and the late police officer’s colleagues gave a wide berth.
Selinah Kibor, the late police corporal’s aunty said she had lost a great friend who took care of her welfare while servicing with
National Police service in Nakuru County before her tragic death two months ago.
She said that Caroline should not be blamed for taking her own life as she was under intense stress, and depression noting that had she received some guidance and counseling earlier, she could be alive now.
“How I wish I had made her before she took her own life. I would have guided and counseled her before handing her safely to the police station to record a statement,” she said.
Mrs Kibor recalled that the late Caroline was a very polite and obedient girl adding that she was shocked to learn that the deceased
ended her life by shooting herself in the head using a gun, something she described as unbelievable to the family.
The slain officer was laid to rest on 30th July with police burial rites as is the norm due to circumstances under which she lost her life.
Caroline who was born on January 10,1987, was however, buried according to her wishes, dressed in a white gown noted in a series of text messages she left behind.
The deceased enrolled in the National Police Service in 2008, where she rose through the ranks to the position of corporal until her tragic death on July 16, 2021.
In 2014, Caroline was certified as a sharp shooter at a Shooting Range Training.
An autopsy conducted on her body by Chief Government Pathologist Johansen Oduor at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret, revealed the cause of death was an injury by the bullet that went through the spine to the brain and skull.