Family seeking justice after kin who was knocked down by police vehicle dies
A family in Morereshwa village in Naishi, Njoro Sub-County is seeking justice following the death of their kin who was knocked down by a police land cruiser.
Ann Wambui, 48, was in the company of her son on board a motorcycle when they were hit by a vehicle attached to Naishi Police Station along the Naishi-Pwani road on Wednesday. She succumbed to her injuries at Nakuru Level Five Hospital.
The January 11, 2023 incident also left Ms Wambui’s son, Mr Emilio Chege, 20, with injuries to his head, hands, face and back.
Recounting the incident on Monday, Mr Chege said that his mother called him the previous day and informed him that they would visit their aunt who had just given birth in hospital.
He said that they agreed to leave the next day at 12pm and would use his motorbike to Sewage area where they would catch a matatu to town.
Mr Chege, who lives 300 meters from their home, said that he arrived at their home and found his mother waiting for him, and the two left to pick up another relative before heading to Nakuru Level Five Hospital.
However, one kilometre from their home, along the Naishi-Pwani road, they were involved in a road accident involving a police vehicle.
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“We were to pick my aunt who lives not far from our home and proceed to the hospital altogether. It all happened upon reaching the junction. I do not remember anything. I just found myself in a hospital bed where we received first aid before being rushed to Nakuru Level Five Hospital,” he said
“I was not speeding and at the junction I gave an indication that I was branching to the right side. I also looked on the side mirrors and the road was clear for me to branch. I don’t remember where the vehicle came from. Normally, I don’t speed when I’m ferrying my mother because she does not like it,” he added.
The husband of the deceased, Atanus Kihungi Njage, said he received the tragic news through a neighbour while he was attending a burial within the neighborhood.
He said the caller informed him that his wife and son had been involved in an accident and were lying by the roadside.
He said upon arrival at the scene he found the Naishi Officer Commanding Station (OCS) and other officers who informed him that they had been rushed to Pwani dispensary for first aid forcing Mr Kihungi to board his brother’s motorcycle to the said facility.
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At the hospital, Mr Kihungi said he found his wife and son being attended to. He said his wife was bleeding from her nose and mouth and complaining of backache.
The patients were referred to Nakuru Level Five Hospital, but according to Mr Kihungi officers opted to use a longer route instead of the highway taking time to reach the hospital.
“She was screaming out of pain but I could only watch helplessly as we headed to the hospital. Sadly, she was pronounced dead on arrival. When we informed the officers that my wife had passed away, they disappeared. They left with the land cruiser leaving us alone,” he added.
He said he visited the Naishi Police Station on Thursday to record a statement but he was referred to Njoro Police Base.
“They called me on Saturday that I should take my son so that we would be given P3 form saying Monday was the last day to do so. But he had a severe headache and backache we could not take him,” he said
Mr George Kimani, a family member, claimed that the officers were drunk and did not want to hear anything from the family even as they pleaded with them to take a shorter route to save the lives of the two victims.
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The postmortem conducted at the Nakuru Level Five Hospital mortuary on January 13 by Government pathologist Dr Tutus Ngulungu revealed that the cause of Ms Wambui’s death was severe chest and abdominal injury.
Dr Ngulungu noted that Ms Wambui suffered massive blood loss following severed vessels due to blunt force trauma.
Njoro Police Subcounty Police Commander Isaac Odumbe said the officers were on their daily patrol within Naishi area when the accident occurred.
He said they have since launched investigations into the accident and would forward the file to the Inspector General of Police for further directions.
The Subcounty boss however refuted claims that the driver of the police car was drunk and that they took a alcohol test on that day.
“The vehicle wanted to overtake while the motorbike was to branch causing confusion, we have since established that the rider did not have a license and he is not a qualified rider hence he does not know the traffic rules,” he said.
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