An autopsy on the body of a 74-year-old man found burnt in his car in Ngong Matasia, Kajiado County, has revealed that he was alive when the fire broke out.
The postmortem examination was conducted at Saitoti Hospital in Rongai on Friday afternoon. The man’s wife and two brothers attended as witnesses, alongside police officers.
The postmortem revealed that much of the torso and the limbs had been completely burnt, leaving part of the midsection and the head. The skull had cracked due to the fire, while some teeth were partially burnt, according to the report.
Further analysis revealed traces of smoke fumes in the man’s throat, indicating that he was alive when the fire broke out.
The pathologist said it could not be established whether there had been a physical struggle because the body had no remaining skin cover.
Available body fluid samples were collected for further forensic analysis to establish the man’s bodily state at the time of death.
Samples were also collected from two family members for DNA testing to help confirm the deceased’s identity. The results are expected to assist the family in proceeding with funeral arrangements.
The man, who hailed from Gesusu in Kisii County, lived in the Ngong Matasia area and ran a local clinic with one of his children.
His body was found inside a vehicle that had been completely destroyed by fire at a private farm on October 2, 2026, at about 10.30pm, after members of the public alerted police.
Police said they had yet to establish the motive and were considering different theories as investigations continued. It was not immediately clear whether the case involved suicide or murder.
The man had left his mobile phone and identification card at home. Witnesses told police they had seen him drive out of his compound hours before his body was discovered. They also told investigators that his hands were tied as the body burned.
Police who visited the scene found a white Toyota Fielder that had been completely burnt. The vehicle is believed to have caught fire at around 7.30pm while parked about 50 metres off the Olkeri–Matasia Road inside a private farm.
A gas cylinder was also found inside the vehicle alongside the body, which had been burnt beyond recognition.
The cause of the fire remains unknown, and police are investigating how the vehicle caught fire.
Police said they retrieved the vehicle’s details from the National Transport and Safety Authority and found the contact details of a relative who co-owned the car with the deceased.
Officers contacted the relative to confirm whether the vehicle belonged to him and establish who had been driving it. The family subsequently learnt of the death and later identified the vehicle and the man.
The circumstances leading to the man’s death remain unclear.
