On December 18 last year, a devastating fire swept through the Modern Furniture Pacific workshop in Ruiru, Kiambu County, destroying property worth millions of shillings.
Amid the destruction, 32-year-old carpenter Joseph Ng’ang’a Muhia went missing, and his whereabouts remain a mystery.
Over a month after the incident, his family and friends are increasingly raising concerns and demanding further investigation.
They allege that Muhia may have perished in the fire, but the local Ruiru Police Station, where the missing person report was filed, has been slow to take action.
Gibson Murage, the founder of Modern Furniture Pacific, has insisted that no human remains were found at the scene, only the partially burned carcass of a dog.
According to Murage, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations’ Forensics Department examined the remains before they were disposed of.
However, the family remains unconvinced by this explanation. They believe that Muhia, a father of two, was present during the fire and may have tragically died in the blaze.
Muhia’s mother (Centre) being comforted by relatives.
Muhia, who hails from Ngirima village in Kandara, Murang’a County, had worked at the company for nearly two years.
Relatives say that several people have claimed Muhia did not escape the fire, and they are calling for authorities to investigate these leads further.
“We don’t believe the dog story,” said Wilson Mburu, Muhia’s uncle. “We even confronted Murage when he visited our home, asking him about what we’ve been hearing and how the authorities are handling the situation.”
Muhia’s mother, Esther Wambui, pleaded for truth, saying, “If he is dead, I just want to lay him to rest and find peace.”
Murage acknowledged the rumours that Muhia may have died in the fire.
What remained after the fire was put out.
He explained, “There are claims we are hiding the truth. The burnt dog was discovered by Kiambu county firefighters. It had wandered in during the rescue operations from nearby herdsmen.”
The mystery continues to deepen as the search for answers drags on as family now seeks another alternative to establish the truth.
