‘It is true a bullet was found lodged in the deceased’s throat. It passed through
the left arm. It is always important to give a report after an autopsy’
The police and Aga Khan Hospital in Kisumu are on the spot for denying that Fredrick Otieno was shot during Monday’s anti-IEBC protests as he was headed to a bank at Tivoli Centre.
A postmortem report shows Otieno was shot in the left arm and the bullet penetrated through his lungs. The Star, the Independent Policing Oversight Authority officials and Otieno’s family witnessed the postmortem at Aga Khan Hospital on Thursday. The family has said it will address the media later on the turn of events.
Police said Otieno did not die from a gunshot wound but fell and was trampled on by protesters. Aga Khan medical superintendent Sam Oula said Otieno had no bullet wounds but sources at the hospital confided to the Star that the body did indeed have a bullet wound.
On Monday, Oula said: “We received three victims across the day. One [Otieno] was brought in dead at about 11.30am. He fell during the melee and did not get up. Witnesses reported that he knocked his head during the fall. He did not have any gunshot injury on him.” When contacted yesterday after the postmortem results, he said: “I am yet to see a written report on the results, therefore, I cannot comment.” He later contacted the Star and confirmed Otieno was shot.
“It is true a bullet was found lodged in the deceased’s throat. It passed through the left arm. It is always important to give a report after an autopsy,” Oula said on the phone. Deputy Governor Ruth Odinga, Nyakach MP Aduma Owuor and ODM officials Seth Ochieng and Edward Ogolla called for legal action against Otieno’s “killers”.
The Monday protests turned tragic after police allegedly shot Otieno and two others in Siaya.
Four of those shot in Siaya were transferred to Jaramogi Hospital in Kisumu with bullets still lodged in their bodies. The Law Society of Kenya has said it will sue the Inspector General of Police and individual officers liable for the deaths and injuries.
(+) LSK to offer pro bono service to the affected
The Law Society of Kenya has said it will take legal action against Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet and other officers and provide pro bono services to those who lost relatives in the Monday anti-IEBC protests in Kisumu and Siaya. West Kenya LSK Kisumu chapter chairman Francis Olel urged those affected to visit their offices. “We call for immediate halt to use of excessive force by police in suppressing legitimate demonstrations,” an LSK statement said.