Questions abound after missing Nairobi man is found dead in Mombasa police cell
Warui, a father of a three-year-old child, had been reported missing from his Umoja estate home in Nairobi on September 14. His family was notified of his death days later.
Queries have emerged after a man who went missing in Nairobi last Sunday was discovered dead inside Central Police Station in Mombasa. His family was left devastated, having travelled to the coast with the intention of bailing him out, only to be informed that he had died.
Godfrey, a close friend of the deceased, said when they heard Simon Warui had gone missing, they kept calling each other as friends, and by Wednesday, they found out he was in Mombasa.
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“We were told he had been found in Mombasa, then taken to Central Police Station. We arrived at night and asked to see him, but were told we could not until the next morning. In the morning, we went with his brother. Nobody knows if he took his own life or was killed. What we want is justice for Simon. When we travelled from Nairobi, we knew he was alive, but on reaching Mombasa, we found his body at the morgue,” he said.
According to a post-mortem conducted at the Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital, 26-year-old Warui died from cardiorespiratory collapse caused by a fracture dislocation of the neck consistent with a fall from a height.
The report further revealed ligature marks measuring 3mm, a 5cm irregular scalp wound, dislocation of the C7–T1 vertebra, spinal haemorrhage and other injuries.
Warui, a father of a three-year-old child, had been reported missing from his Umoja estate home in Nairobi on September 14. His family was notified of his death days later.
Human rights organisations have condemned the incident, with some threatening to stage demonstrations across Mombasa County to pressure the National Police Service (NPS) to explain the circumstances surrounding Warui’s death.
Vocal Africa activist Walid Sketty (centre) described the case as another instance of extrajudicial killing. (Farhiya Hussein)
Speaking outside the mortuary after the post-mortem, Vocal Africa activist Walid Sketty described the case as another instance of extrajudicial killing.
“As a family and an organisation, we suspect foul play on the side of the police, and a cover-up for his death since they have declined to release the CCTV footage of the events of that day. Further, they are yet to reveal the contents of the occurrence book, what he had been booked for and on what offence,” he said.
Sketty added that Warui’s personal items, including his mobile phone, were missing.
He also revealed that they would move to court to compel the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to investigate and to seek the immediate arrest of officers attached to Central Police Station.
The family and rights groups are now demanding accountability and answers over the mysterious death of the young Nairobi resident inside police custody.
Police bosses have gone mum on the matter.
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