Months after the death of Abigael Nafula Ogara, questions surrounding the circumstances of her killing continue to linger, with her estranged husband, a Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) officer, having been identified as a key suspect in the case.
Nafula, a 32-year-old woman from Kimilili, Bungoma County, died in April 2026 after reportedly meeting her estranged husband in what her family believed was an attempt to reconcile.
Her death followed a troubled period in her marriage, during which the couple had reportedly separated.
Her death followed a troubled period in her marriage, during which the couple had reportedly separated. Nafula had moved to Rongo, Migori County, while her husband remained based in Gilgil, Nakuru County.
According to accounts from her family, the couple later resumed communication after the KDF officer returned from a deployment to the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The officer, identified in media reports as Major Boniface Simiyu, reportedly contacted Nafula and asked to meet her, saying he wanted to explain himself and seek forgiveness.
Nafula reportedly agreed to the meeting, with their daughter also playing a role in bringing the two together. Around April 27, the couple are said to have spent time together before taking their daughter to boarding school.
Her family later said Nafula appeared to have had a positive experience during the meeting and did not indicate that she was in immediate danger.
However, two days later, on April 29, Nafula reportedly went missing.
Her relatives became concerned after they were unable to reach her. According to the family, her husband later claimed that Nafula had returned home after allegedly asking to get out of his vehicle while they were travelling towards his village.
The explanation did little to settle the family's concerns, particularly after they failed to establish her whereabouts.
On April 30, Nafula's body was reportedly discovered in a hotel bathroom. Hotel staff are said to have found her during cleaning, with an object around her neck.
The circumstances initially raised questions over whether she had died by suicide. Her family, however, rejected that possibility and called for a thorough investigation.
A subsequent post-mortem examination reportedly established that Nafula had died from strangulation, further intensifying questions surrounding the circumstances of her death.
Her estranged husband subsequently became a prime focus of the investigation, reportedly because he was the last person known to have been with her before she disappeared.
Media reports identified him as a KDF officer attached to Kenyatta Barracks in Gilgil. Reports also stated that he had returned from the DRC-MONUSCO mission after about two months following an alleged disciplinary issue involving fraternisation.
The officer has not been convicted over Nafula's death, and allegations against him remain subject to investigation and due process.
For Nafula's family, however, the events surrounding her final meeting with her estranged husband have continued to raise difficult questions.
Her death remains a case in which the sequence of events—from the reported reconciliation meeting to her disappearance and the discovery of her body—has left relatives seeking answers about what happened during her final hours.
The case therefore remains significant not because it is a new incident, but because of the unanswered questions that have continued to surround Nafula's death months after it occurred.