- Court documents indicate the businessman was admitted to the ICU with a diagnosis of fluid retention in acute kidney injury and encephalopathy.
- The deceased's brother said in court documents that there could be malice in his brother’s death because he was hurriedly buried.
Image: CHARLES MGHENYI
The family of a Mombasa businessman has opposed attempts by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations to exhume his body for a post-mortem.
Abbas Anverali Nazerali died on May 15 after a short illness.
The investigations by the DCI followed a report made by Nazerali’s brother, Shakir Anwar, a Pakistan national, at the Port police station, claiming that his brother’s death could be a result of foul play.
Nazerali fell ill on May 13 and was rushed to Aga Khan Hospital by his wife Kiran Nazerali and another family friend identified as Hussein Chandu.
According to court documents, the businessman was admitted to the ICU with a diagnosis of fluid retention in acute kidney injury, oliguria, severe sepsis and encephalopathy.
The hospital had planned to conduct urgent dialysis, treatment for sepsis and further tests, but the wife allegedly refused the dialysis and opted to take the patient to Nairobi or Pakistan for a second opinion.
They left the hospital on May 14 at around 11.30am.
However, on the morning of May 15 at around 4am, he was rushed back to the hospital but was pronounced dead.
Nazerali left behind a wife and five children — four daughters and a son.
He was buried at Koja Shia Ithnasheri Cemetery in Mombasa in accordance with Islamic religion and beliefs.
The deceased's brother said in court documents that there could be malice in his brother’s death because he was hurriedly buried.
However, the businessman’s wife, Kiran, and her two elder daughters, have opposed the exhumation application, saying the brother-in-law is out to frustrate the family.
In reply to the affidavit filed with the court, Kiran said her brother-in-law’s application for the exhumation of the body is malicious and filled with blatant lies.
She said the cause of the death of her husband is known (that he died from kidney failure) therefore it is not surprising or suspicious.
“My husband was unwell for about three days and had refused to go to the hospital to seek treatment. He did not pass urine for a day. This prompted me to take him to Aga Khan despite his protest,” she said.
Kiran said her brother-in-law, who lives all the way in Pakistan, was not on speaking terms with Nazerali.
“Their relationship was hostile at best. This was caused by my late husband demanding to have his share in the inherited family company transferred to him. However, the complainant (Anwar) was not willing to do so for over six years,” she said.
On December 10, 2020, a share transfer deed was signed leading Nazerali to retain the Kenya part of the family business and Anwar took the Pakistani share.
“The complainant (Anwar) blamed me for this,”Kiran said.
She said the allegations by her brother-in-law that there could be foul play in Nazerali’s death are intended to harass her and the children.
“This is a ploy by my vindictive brother-in-law to cause shame upon my family and my husband even in death as this is shunned upon in our faith, Islam and our community customs,” she added.
Kiran further said despite being informed of his brother’s death immediately, Anwar showed up two weeks later and started harassing the family.
She said medical reports indicate that Nazerali died from a kidney problem and the brother-in-law has not produced any other document contrary to those provided by the hospital.
The matter is coming up on Monday for hearing before Mombasa senior resident magistrate Vincent Adet.
Others listed as respondents in the case include Mombasa Public Health Office, medical superintendent, Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital, OCS Central police station and Management Koja cemetery.
(edited by Amol Awuor)