Autopsies of 3 slain women delayed amid talk of set up

Police and bomb experts secure the Central police station after an attack in Mombasa on September 11 / REUTERS
Police and bomb experts secure the Central police station after an attack in Mombasa on September 11 / REUTERS

Postmortem of the three women killed after a foiled attack at the Central police station, Mombasa, on September 11 was yesterday postponed indefinitely.

Reports indicate the government has not facilitated the forensic experts from Nairobi to carry out the autopsy.

This comes amid speculations over the shooting, termed by some right groups as police conspiracy.

Government pathologist Dr Johansen Oduor told the Star transport logistics have delayed the postmortem that was expected to be carried out this week .

“We are waiting for facilitation, including transport for the team from Nairobi. I can't tell exactly when the postmortem will be carried out. We are also in a dilemma, waiting for communication," he said.

The bodies of Abdirahman Hussein, Ramla Abdirahman and Tasnim Yakubu are still lying at the Coast Provincial General Hospital almost two weeks since the attack.

Police insist that postmortem and forensic analysis must be conducted on the bodies before they are released for burial.

Haki Africa director Hussein Khalid said the delays are tormenting the families of the slain women.

He said the father of two of the three women, Abdirahman Hussein, is ready for the postmortem.

He swore an affidavit pleading for the release of his daughters bodies for burial.

“It’s extremely disturbing that bodies are still lying at the mortuary for weeks. There is no clear commitment from the state. It's the wish of any Muslim to bury their kin as soon as possible," Khalid said.

He said the earlier the autopsy report is out the better.

"It will help end the ongoing speculation by determining the cause of death. We cannot comment on the incident, until we get the report,” Khalid said.

Mombasa county commander Peterson Maelo said the women in Hijabs had pretended they were reporting a stolen mobile phone, when one of them stabbed two officers at the report office.

They are also said to have hurled a petrol bomb prompting police to shoot them.

But Muslim for Human Rights has disputed this.

Muhuri chairperson Khelef Khalifa dismissed the police version of the story that the women entered the station with the intention of blowing it up.

Parent of the two sisters, who were killed, told investigator they left home, saying they were going shopping for Idd-ul-Adha in town.

WATCH: The latest videos from the Star