Woman hurt in police-boda boda drama in Lamu succumbs to injuries
Margaret Njeri at Panday Hospital’s ICU in Mombasa on January 21, 2015 after she was injured when she fell off a boda boda during a scuffle between a policeman and the motorcyclist. She died on Saturday evening February 28, 2015. FILE PHOTO | LABAN WALLOGA | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Ms Margaret Njeri died Saturday evening at the Pandya Hospital in Mombasa where she has been admitted since the January 17 accident.
- According to her family, doctors and lawyer George Wakahiu, Ms Njeri's cracked her skull as a result of a fall from the boda boda.
- Her sister Mrs Anne Njuguna, said Njeri’s condition started deteriorating and was to be taken back to the ICU on Saturday morning. She died at 8pm.
- Last week, Lamu Governor Issa Timamy demanded action against the policeman and questioned why he was being shielded.
The 22-year old woman from Mpeketoni who was seriously injured when a policeman tried to force a boda boda rider to stop has succumbed to her injuries.
Ms Margaret Njeri died Saturday evening at the Pandya Hospital in Mombasa where she has been admitted since the January 17 accident.
She was set to go for a fourth head surgery before her death at 8pm Saturday.
Ms Njeri has been in and out of the intensive care unit (ICU) and remained unconscious due to the serious head injuries.
According to her family, doctors and lawyer George Wakahiu, Ms Njeri's cracked her skull as a result of a fall from the boda boda.
She fell off the boda boda after the policeman reportedly threw his gun at the boda boda rider in an attempt to force him to stop.
The gun missed the target and got Ms Njeri on the right side of the head throwing her off the motorcycle and onto the rough road.
She was taken to Mpeketoni hospital and was referred to the Coast General Provincial General Hospital after which she was admitted to the ICU at Pandya Hospital for a week.
Her condition stabilised and she was taken to the general ward before being returning to the high depency unit and ICU.
The accident happened at Kanyenyaini in Mpeketoni, Lamu West as Ms Njeri headed home from a salon.
POLICE OFFICER MOVED
In the meantime, no action has been taken against the policeman who has since been moved from his station in Lamu West to Lamu East even as the victim’s family, human rights activists and members of the county assembly protested.
Last week, Lamu Governor Issa Timamy demanded action against the policeman and questioned why he was being shielded.
The family has incurred a hospital bill of close to Sh2 million.
Her sister Mrs Anne Njuguna, said Njeri’s condition started deteriorating and was to be taken back to the ICU on Saturday morning.
She had spent nine days in the ICU before she was discharged to the wards on January 26, 2015 where she continued with treatment for about three week but had to undergo a second surgery.
Despite going through a reconstructive surgery to stop a discharge of a fluid from her injured head a few weeks ago, Ms Njeri’s health worsened.
The doctors had to perform another operation on February 21 to drain the discharge from her head and she had spent a few more days in the HDU.
The family continues to appeal for justice for their daughter which appears to have eluded them more than one month since she was injured as no action has been taken against the officer reported to be responsible for the act.
