Nairobi, Kenya - The Consolata Missionaries were plunged into sudden mourning on Friday when Italian Fr Giuseppe Bertaina was murdered here at around 11.00 am.
Two thugs walked into his office at the Consolata Institute of Philosophy at Lang'ata in Nairobi, tied up the 82-year-old priest, stuffed his mouth with papers and fled with an unknown sum of money. Fr Bertaina was the institute's administrator.
He apparently died of suffocation. Fr Bertaina's body was found on the floor shortly after. Confirming the incident to CISA, Consolata Vice-Superior Fr Hieronymus Njoya said the priest's office was vandalised.
"We have informed the police and investigations are going on. Two watchmen are helping the police with the investigations," Fr Njoya said. An unknown woman who was caught trying to run away from Fr Bertaina's office was arrested.
One of the puzzles the institute and the police will be trying to unravel is how the strangers entered the institution at daytime without detection.
The Vice-Superior said that the body of the late priest was taken to Lee Funeral Home and arrangements for his funeral will be announced later.
The sudden death of Fr Bertaina was "a big shock" and left the staff and students at the Consolata Institute of Philosophy dumbfounded, a priest at the institution said.
Fr Bertaina has been working as an administrator of the institute since 2005. He was loved by all, a very humble man with a lot of working experience in institutions of learning in Embu, Murang'a and Nairobi, Fr Njoya said.
Long-serving Consolata missionary Fr Anthony Bianci described the late Bertaina as a very friendly priest who made many friends wherever he worked.
Fr Bertaina was born in 1927 in Cuneo in Italy. He took his perpetual vows in 1950 and was ordained in 1951.