When will this impunity end? Agony as Another Kenyan Dies in Police Custody

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It is barely months since the shocking death of David Mwai, the man who was found dead at Parkland Police station where he was being held.

Police said that Mwai, who had confessed to shooting former Garissa Finance Minister Idriss Mukhtar had committed suicide while in custody.

But as we try to move on from Mwai’s death, we have yet another case of a man who mysteriously died in police custody at the coast.

The family of Caleb Ospino, a 40 year-old man, who allegedly died in the hands of police officers is demanding justice.

Ospino is said to have been arrested by officers from Changamwe Police Station on September 18 while taking illicit brew in Mikindani. Police said he may have died of excessive alcohol, but Government Chief Pathologist and Independent Medico Legal Unit pathologist Professor Emily Adhiambo said on Tuesday that Ospino died from multiple injuries.

Patrick Obuya, an uncle to the deceased and Elisha Otieno, a brother to the deceased, now want justice and action against those responsible.

“We are asking government to intervene and those found culpable should be held responsible,” said Otieno.

According to IMLU’s Adhiambo, they found that Ospino died of multiple injuries, mainly on the skin, in the head and bleeding within the brain.

They also found an injury on the upper spinal cord, bleeding on the sides of the back, fracture of one of the ribs of the left side chest with bleeding into the lungs on both sides, and a tear within one of the lungs.

“We have concluded that the cause of the death is multiple injuries on the head, upper spine of the neck and chest injuries with a fracture,” she said.

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Pathologist Oduor said they have now handed over the report to investigators. “We now give the opportunity to investigative officers to do their investigation to find out the truth,” said Oduor.

The autopsy was conducted in the presence of four pathologists and officers from IMLU, Independent Police Oversight Authority, Muslim for Human Rights and family members.

Muhuri chair Khelef Khalifa said they will seek legal redress in the matter.

“We will leave that in the hands of investigation officers, but we shall now pursue legal redress,” said Khalifa.

IMLU monitor Mohammed Mwalimu said it was distressing that a person died while in the custody of the police. “We ask the DPP to take this matter seriously,” he said

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