Detectives in Taita Taveta County are probing the death of a man who was found hanging from a tree moments after he was involved in an accident.

35-year-old Lawrence Ongeri was driving along the Kanana-Lunga Lunga Road when the car hit a tree and rolled several times before landing in a ditch at Mkono wa Ndugu area.

Witnesses said soon after the accident, Ongeri bought a rope from a nearby shop. His whereabouts thereafter could not be established, before locals found his body some meters away from the scene of the accident.

It also emerged that Ongeri informed his wife about the morning accident and asked her to forgive him for what he was about to do.

“Nimepata ajali naomba unisamehe kwa uamuzi wangu,” the text reportedly read.

Lunga Lunga Police Boss Peter Ndzimbi confirmed the incident saying investigations are ongoing to ascertain if Ongeri took his own life.

“We have launched investigations because we have reports that the deceased had earlier been involved in an accident but later turned up dead several meters away,’’ said Ndzimbi.

The body was moved to Kwale County Hospital mortuary awaiting postmortem.