A family is Lamu is seeking justice after their son was allegedly beaten by police at Ndau village.
Yusuf Abuu,19, is comatose at Lamu King Fahad Hospital. He is said to have been brutally beaten and injured by the officers after he and several others were arrested following a brawl.
His uncle Mzee Athman says Abuu and four others were arrested and taken to the Ndau police station after they were accused of stealing a duck from their neighbour.
He says efforts to beg the officers to allow elders
to resolve the matter at home were futile as police insisted on taking them to the station.
“The police apparently warned them not to disclose that they had been tortured and beaten while in custody. We only got to know the truth when Abuu fell seriously ill a few days later. Now we know he has a burst appendix from the beatings,” said Athman.
The man is said to have developed complications a few days later before he was rushed to the hospital.
His mother Tima Kassim now wants the police to explain what they did to her son.
The distraught mother is now calling on the Independent Police Oversight Authority to intervene.
“My son has never had health issues since I gave birth to him.
He has always been strong and energetic. His condition changed after leaving custody, he deteriorated rapidly. He is now in a coma," Kassim said.
"Someone did something so brutal to my son and I demand to know who did it and why? I also want to know is it allowed for people who have arrested be beaten and tortured?"
A doctor at the King Fahad Hospital said Abuu suffered a burst appendix as a result of physical blunt trauma.
His condition has not improved after doctors performed an emergency operation.
When reached for comment,
Lamu County Commissioner Joseph Kanyiri dismissed as untrue allegations that the man was beaten and injured by police.
He said the man is known to have a pre-existing chronic medical condition.