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The Nairobian

Nandi family mourning siblings who died mysteriously abroad

Counties

By Edward Kosut | Mar 14, 2025

**Eugine Kipkoech died in Finland barely a year after his sister Sheila Jeptum who died in a road accident in Australia**.[Courtesy]

It is a great joy for the family when the children secure opportunities to study and work abroad. For most families, it is always the ticket out of poverty and a chance to improve the lives of their family.

For the family of David Saina, their hopes and dreams have been shuttered after they lost two of their children who moved abroad within a year under mysterious circumstances.

Friends, relatives, and neighbors once again gathered at Saina’s home in Salient, Nandi County, to console the family after the sudden death of their son, Eugene Kipkoech, whose body was found in a lake in Finland.

“I am puzzled. The death of my son is traumatizing, and I cannot comprehend that he is no more, and no one anticipated this to happen at all,” he said.

Eugene, 28, after concluding his Automotive Engineering course in Rift Valley Technical and Training Institute (RVTTI), luckily got a visa alongside her late sister Sheila Jeptum courtesy of the county government of Uasin Gishu to study abroad.

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He headed to Finland, and Sheila proceeded to Australia for further studies.

Saina narrated that he had a chat with Eugene early last week, and he had promising plans for the family.

“It was just a usual talk checking on his progress, and he was okay. He was not reachable on phone towards the end of the week, and we learned this from his younger brother, but we hoped that he would come online,” he said.

It wasn't until March 8 when they got information from one of Eugene's friends in Finland that the son’s remains were found in a water body in Karkkila City in Finland.

He worked in Componenta Finland Oy Hogfors Company as an engineer for over two years.

“The body was evacuated by the Finland authorities but we have not been told what caused his death. We have not had issues with him nor heard him complain of any health problems. We are waiting for the investigative officials to conclude their investigation,” said Saina.

Eugene’s death comes exactly a year after his younger sister, Sheila, who met his death in an accident that occurred on her way to Brisbane Province.

They both left in the same week in October 2023. Sheila took a flight for New South, and Eugene headed to Finnish land for greener pastures. Saina, a father of four, said that he was grateful to see them achieving their dreams and looking forward to seeing them after some time.

Evans Bett, Eugene’s elder brother, said that it is hard going to the airport to see them coming back in caskets.

“They were young souls that meant everything to us as a family. Eugene had attained permanent residence in Finland, and he had futuristic plans for the family for some of the parcels of lands he had bought,” he stated.

In establishing the cause of Eugene’s death, Evans played down the investigation process, claiming that it would not be of any significance to the family.

“Whether we know if my brother was killed or not, it will not bring back his life. We are only appealing for the support to repatriate his body for interment,” he pleaded.