A family in Nyamache, Kisii County, is torn between forgiving and prosecuting relatives suspected to be behind the death of their 17-year-old son, Ian Ontita, who succumbed to injuries from severe punishment by his uncles.
According to family members, the diseased was being punished for allegedly being disrespectful and was taken to a hospital several days living with severe pain.
Neighbours who sought anonymity intimated to that Ontita was attacked on September 23, 2018, and was left at home for 10 days before being taken to Lenmerk Hospital in Ogembo where he died two days after his admission.
The Director of Public Prosecution Noordin Haji has now pledged to intervene into the ongoing probe for the possible prosecution of suspects who area residents fear could be spared as the family mulls a cleansing ritual.
“It is a sad death. I will make sure investigations are properly undertaken and those culpable face the law,” stated Haji, while affirming that he will engage the Kisii County DCI boss on the matter.
According to Ezekiel Ogando, the medical director at the private hospital where Ontita died, the diseased was only given antibiotics and his tissue wounds were dressed since the family could not raise funds for recommended tests.
“We recommended that the patient undergoes more tests but this did not happen because the family did not raise the required funds. Medics at the hospital dressed some wounds and gave the patient some antibiotics,” Ogendo told the media on Wednesday.
Nyamache OCPD Japhet M’mwirichia shared in the area chief’s statement that the matter had not been reported by the family.
“Investigations are ongoing, last week there were statements recorded with the DCI. Both the family and the government had pathologists who jointly carried out a postmortem on the body and we believe the results shall aid the investigations,” stated M’mwirichia.
This has also learned that Ontita’s family held a meeting where a number of the attendees expressed anger over the death but proposed a traditional cleansing ceremony.
Sources in the family say the boy’s father was in a dilemma given that it emerged his wife was linked to the punishment suspected to have caused the death.
“If they seek to prosecute the suspects, his wife and two brothers will be in deep trouble. This will be more devastating because if the wife goes to jail, he will have difficulties in raising the younger children, but for us, all we want is justice for Ontita,” the source revealed.
The body was interred on Friday at his fathers home at Riamotari village. He is said to have borrowed a motorbike from a friend before disappearing for three days. The bike owner then reported the matter to Ontita’s parents.
Relatives and a few neighbours then descended on him with a senseless beating when he returned home, with the mother being accused of having supervised the ordeal.