“Not a shriek, not even a cry. But a cri de coeur (cry of the heart) expressed simply as a sudden tight, tiny, tot’s grip of her mother’s arm.”
Those were the words of Kisumu resident magistrate Beryl Omollo who ruled yesterday on the police bludgeoning death of six-month old Baby Samantha Pendo in Kisumu on the night of August 10 last year in Nyalenda slum.
“Baby Pendo, lived a very short life. And died a very painful death. She died a death too painful to find expression in a normal infant or baby’s speech of expressing pain or discomfort.”
Those were the words of Kisumu resident magistrate Beryl Omollo who indicted the six police commanders who were involved in the operation in Kisumu on the night of August 10 2018 in Nyalenda slum in which Baby Pendo died.
Following a year-long inquest, she graphically explained how police officers smashed Baby Pendo’s head while she was cradled by her mother. It happened during protests after the Supreme Court annulled President Uhuru Kenyatta’s reelection.
She found five top police bosses who served in Kisumu during the general elections culpable in Pendo’s death and requested DPP Noordin Haji to take necessary action against them.
The six to be investigated are former OCS John Thiringi, former county commander Titus Yoma, former OCPD Kisumu East Christopher Mutune, Inspector of Police Linah Kogei and Benjamin Koima, the AP commandant Kisumu Central.