Date set for requiem mass of Irvo Otieno, the Kenyan murdered in USA
The family of Mr Irvo Otieno, a Kenyan national who was allegedly murdered in the United States of America (USA) has set the date for the requiem mass.
The requiem mass will take place on March 29, 2023.
In a statement, sent to this reporter, Rev Al Sharpton, the founder and President of the National Action Network (NAN) will be the Bishop who will preside over the requiem mass.
“Rev Al Sharpton, Founder and President of the National Action Network (NAN), will travel to Richmond on Wednesday to deliver the eulogy for Irvo Otieno, who was killed earlier this month after sheriff’s deputies and hospital staff pinned him down for 12 minutes,” the statement read in part.
The statement further revealed that national renowned civil rights and personal injury attorney Ben Crump will deliver a National call for justice for the 28-year-old, whose death echoes that of George Floyd nearly three years ago.
At least seven officers are currently in custody after they were linked to the murder of the Kenyan national.
The officers were arrested by Virginia State police officers and charged with second-degree murder. The seven officers are Randy Joseph Boyer, 57, Dwayne Alan Bramble, 37, Jermaine Lavar Branch, 45, Bradley Thomas Disse, 43, Tabitha Renee Levere, 50, Brandon Edwards Rodgers, 48 and Kaiyell Dajour Sanders, 30.
The incident occurred on March 6, 2023, when the officers arrived at Central State Hospital to admit the 28-year-old as a patient.
However, police officers were later called by the hospital’s security team at 7:30 pm to investigate the Kenyan’s death.
The Henrico police officers claimed the deceased was violent when arrested and had to be restrained.
His body was then transferred to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for the autopsy process.
“They smothered him to death because he died of asphyxia due to suffocation. The incident was captured on video that is ‘extremely clear, extremely alarming.’ The video is 12 minutes long and shows “deliberate and cruel treatment’,” the attorney stated.
Also read: Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichungwa reacts to invasion of Kenyatta’s family land