The late Caroline Mwatha, a human rights defender, disappeared on February 6 and her body was found six days later at City Mortuary. Mwatha documented acts of police brutality and killings, which put her on the warpath with the crime busters in Dandora. A postmortem showed she died from excessive bleeding due to a failed abortion. But this has been contested by the family and her colleagues, who have cited gaps in the initial police statement.
Caroline Mwatha’s widower Joshua Ochieng’ came back from burying his wife to find his home broken into and his TV and carpet stolen. He said on Friday it was an inside job but did not explain what he meant by that. “It is baffling that the people who broke into my house only took the [ 49-inch] television set and the carpet, leaving other electronics, including the fridge and woofer,” Ochieng’ said.
Ochieng’ said he had recorded a statement with the police and a witness had agreed to cooperate with them. “The witness told me he saw the burglars; two guys and a woman,” he said. Mortuary records show her body was booked in on February 7. But her family had been there on February 8 and 9 and had found no body. Caroline was buried in Asembo Bay, Rarieda sub-county, Siaya county. Ochieng’ travelled back to the city on Tuesday. Someone going by the pseudonym ‘Blackest Widow’ commented on the theft on Facebook: “
A post on Facebook on the theft by someone using the pseudonym ‘Blackest widow’ read: “Lakini #Maninja wa Dandora hamnanga huruma haki. Kwa ivo wakati mlikuwa mnaenda kwa #Caro_mtetezi kuomboleza, kazi yenu kuu ilikuwa ni kosorora nyumba yake; kisha baadae wakati familia ilienda mazishi, mkaamua ku-unlock mlango, when Caro’s husband came back, he found his Samsung TV 49’’, carpet and other valuables missing!!!…ogopa maninja.” Blackest Widow is believed to be one of the crime busters (Hessy) operating in Dandora and other city slums. His post is believed to have been mocking Ochieng.