Mombasa: The family of a 36-year-old man who died under unclear circumstances while in police custody in Mombasa has called on authorities to expedite investigations and provide answers surrounding the mysterious death. Relatives of the late Simon Warui said they received news of his death with shock after tracing him to Mombasa days after he had been reported missing in Nairobi.
According to Kenya News Agency, speaking at the Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital, his cousin Godfrey Gichuru said the family wants justice and closure. Gichuru travelled to Mombasa Thursday after getting reports that his cousin had died under unclear circumstances. "We were informed about the death of our cousin in Nairobi, which shocked us. He had been missing since Sunday. We later got information that he was in Mombasa, and when his brother and friend went to the Central Police Station to see him, they were denied access. On Thursday morning, we were informed he had died," Gichuru said.
The family revealed that Warui had used a Catholic Church security guard's phone to contact his wife, which led them to discover he was in Mombasa. His friend, Daniel Gicheha, said their efforts to locate him after he went missing were futile. "We made calls and searched for him. A guard at a Catholic church found him and took him to the Central Police Station. When we arrived at the station at night, we were told to return the following morning.
He went on: "Later, we were referred to the DCI, and from there we were taken back to Central, only to learn that he had died. We want justice because we came from Nairobi knowing he was alive."
Civil society groups have also raised concerns over the incident. Waliid Sketty of Vocal Africa said the circumstances of Warui's death point to possible foul play. "The post-mortem indicated he died due to a lack of oxygen, with fractures on his neck and hand, and darkened fingertips showing oxygen deprivation. This is very troubling, coming less than 6 months after the death of Albert Ojwang in similar circumstances at a police station," Sketty said.
He questioned why Warui was in Mombasa while his family was in Nairobi and why he was detained. "The police claim he died after scaling a wall and falling, but even if that were the case, what were the officers on duty doing? The family had reported him missing in Nairobi, only to find him in Mombasa," he added.
Edwin Shamir, a Mombasa-based Human Rights Defender, said inconsistencies between the family's account and the police version demand transparency. "There is a disconnect between the police report and what the family says. As civil society, we must raise these issues because we have seen such cases recur. We demand clarity on the circumstances that led to his death," Shamir noted.