Police have issued a statement refuting reports that it opposed the transfer of the body of Kennedy Onyango, a 12-year-old who was shot during demonstrations in Rongai last week.
The boy’s mother Josinter Anyango Ochieng, had appealed to the government to intervene and help her access her son’s body which she said was taken by police moments before his burial.
“You have all the powers. After God, you are the second most powerful person in Kenya. Those who have taken my baby are under your authority. Ruto, return my baby,” she said.
Comedian Eric Omondi also asked those involved to release the body and let the distraught mother bury her child.
“So we got to Homa Bay to bury the 12-year-old Kennedy and just before getting to the homestead, we found. A police roadblock. They took the boy. Whoever is responsible please allow this woman to mourn in peace, allow her to bury her son. She has suffered enough,” Omondi said.
But in a statement, the National Police Service (NPS) stated that contrary to the remarks made by Josinter and Eric, the body was released for burial on Thursday, July 4, 2024, after a post-morterm conducted by a pathologist who revealed that he died of a single gunshot wound at a long range.
Afterwards, the body was moved to Mbita for burial, but the event was halted after Denish Okinyi Abaga, a man claiming to be the father of the boy, appeared with a court order demanding that he bury the boy.
“The body was moved to Mbita for burial but upon arrival on July 5, 2024, one Denish Okinyi Abaga claiming to be the biological father of the boy appeared with a court order stopping the burial after he demanded to bury the boy.
“Apparently, the Civil Suit No. 0028 of 2024 filed at Mbita Law Courts ordered the police to move the body to Suba Sub-County Hospital Funeral Home for preservation, and the OCS Mbita Police Station complied with the order,” NPS said.
The police commission has further asked members of the public to remain calm as the matter is being handled in court.