Mlolongo abduction victims died from strangulation, blunt force injuries -Autopsy
The bodies of the two men were found to have decomposed significantly, with Njoroge explaining that the extent of decomposition made identification impossible at this stage.
A post-mortem examination conducted on the remains of Justus Mutumwa and Martin Mwau, the two men abducted in Mlolongo, has revealed that both died from multiple blunt force injuries and strangulation.
Pathologist Richard Njoroge, who conducted the examination, shared the findings during a briefing at the City Mortuary on Wednesday.
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The bodies of the two men were found to have decomposed significantly, with Njoroge explaining that the extent of decomposition made identification impossible at this stage.
As a result, the bodies have been labelled as Unknown Body 1 and Unknown Body 2 until DNA tests are completed to confirm their identities.
Njoroge elaborated on the nature of the injuries sustained by the two men noting that both victims suffered from multiple abdominal, chest, and head injuries.
“There were multiple abdominal, chest, and head injuries, and we also observed what we call ‘defence injuries’ on the arms. This indicates there was a struggle, as defence injuries are typically seen when a person tries to defend themselves,” he said.
He further noted that the second body showed signs of head injuries, abdominal wall damage, and strangulation.
“The most significant finding on the second body was neck compression, particularly to the strap muscles of the neck. Based on these injuries, we concluded that manual neck compression was the cause of death,” he said.
Regarding the first body, Njoroge detailed severe thoracic injuries, including internal bleeding in the chest (hemothorax), which were the most severe of the injuries sustained.
He emphasised that due to the high level of decomposition, assigning names to the bodies was not possible.
“At this time, we cannot assign any names to these bodies. We work with science, and we need DNA samples from the immediate relatives before identification,” Njoroge said.
“The families have been informed, and we are awaiting DNA samples from them. The mother of one of the victims is expected to provide a sample tomorrow (Thursday).”
While the families of the victims have claimed to identify the bodies, Njoroge reiterated that the scientific process must be followed.
“We are hesitant to release the bodies for burial until all processes are completed,” he added.
Mutumwa’s family was able to positively identify his body at the Nairobi Funeral Home on January 30, 2025.
Mutumwa went missing on December 16, 2024, along with Martin Mwau and Karani Muema. For over a month, the families were unaware of their whereabouts.
According to Mutumwa’s family, they were notified that his body had been collected from Ruai and taken to the Nairobi Funeral Home just two days after his disappearance.
The discovery comes amidst ongoing denials by top police officials about the whereabouts of the three men.
Despite repeated court summons, Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja and Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Mohammed Amin appeared in court only last week, where they denied knowledge of the men’s location.
Amin informed the court that investigations into the matter were still ongoing.
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