The families of two Elgeyo Marakwet men who disappeared on May 30 and were later found dead are demanding justice after a post-mortem revealed they were tortured and strangled.

Collins Kipyatich and Simeon Yego Chacha were discovered on June 1 dumped by the roadside in Rongai, Nakuru county.

Government pathologist Dr Titus Ngulungu, who conducted the post-mortem at the Nakuru City Mortuary, confirmed that both men died from asphyxia.

“As a result of my examination I have formed the opinion that the cause of death for both the victims was asphyxia. We have collected samples for toxicological profiling,” Ngulungu said.

He noted that Kipyatich was killed through manual compression and Chacha through smothering. Both victims had their hands cut off, with Kipyatich showing string marks around his neck and Chacha having multiple blunt injuries.

Benjamin Yego, a relative of Chacha, said the body showed signs of prolonged torture.

“We want Kenyans to know what happened, will be burying our relatives with no hands. We are very sad. From the way we observed the bodies it seems that they were tortured for more than two days. As a family we want to know the truth. We do not know why he was killed, he was just a businessman in Tot,” he said.

Yego also revealed that Chacha’s car, stolen during the abduction, was last seen in Westlands before being moved through Ruaka and Kariobangi and eventually disappearing.

The family says they are still in the dark over what happened and why no police station has taken responsibility.

Relatives say they were denied help at Tot Police Station when they tried to trace the whereabouts of Kipyatich after he was picked by officers at a local health centre.

His uncle, Richard Chebet, said the father of two had blood clots and visible injuries. “He was not a criminal. He was a known farmer,” Chebet said.