Woman seeks justice for daughter who died after injuries by police

The mother to the 22-year-old woman from Mpeketoni who died Saturday as a result of injuries reportedly inflicted by a policeman has appealed for justice from the State.

Ms Margaret Njeri who was seriously injured on January 17, 2015 when a policeman tried to force a boda boda rider to stop succumbed to her injuries.

Her mother has now made an appeal to President Uhuru Kenyatta to help her get justice.

Speaking to the Nation at Pandya Hospital in Mombasa, Mrs Mariam Njeri Njuguna urged the President to intervene and help her settle the hospital bill that has risen to Sh2 million since January 18 when Ms Njeri was admitted to hospital.

Mrs Njuguna who has been at her daughter’s side until her death said the three doctors who were attending to her daughter did their best to save her.

She said her daughter had plans to study law as she had completed her Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exam in 2013.

“We were hoping that by April, she would have joined university and study law and she was even working at George Wakahiu Advocates, a law firm in Mpeketoni as she waited for dream to come true.

“Unfortunately the unexpected happened which led to her long journey here at Pandya until her death. The extent of the head injury was so severe and the doctors did their best but we had to accept God’s will,” she said.

FINISHED SCHOOL IN 2013

Ms Njeri, who was the third born in the family, finished high school in 2013 and was working as a secretary at the law firm.

She was so full of life having celebrated her 22nd birthday on January 15 just two days before the accident.

Mrs Njuguna told the Nation that since her husband’s death in 2009, her four children had been getting assistance from the Catholic Church in Mpeketoni.

She however said she will be at rest if only she got a chance to meet the officer who was responsible for her daughter’s fatal injuries.

“I want the security agents to now deal with the officer responsible for her death; he is well known. All I want is that he faces justice.

"We are done with Maggy’s journey (on earth), I want us to start her journey to justice,” she said.

The mother wants the officer to come forward apologise to the family.

She said since her daughter’s injury, she has longed to meet the officer in person as she had something to say to him.

The family now says they are not content with the manner in which the police are carrying investigations into the matter and want the law to take its course.

WAITING FOR DPP TO ACT

Through their lawyer George Wakahiu, who was also Njeri’s boss, the family is waiting on the Director of Public Prosecutions to advice on the matter as in February, the DPP through the Lamu office said no action would be taken until they got the victim’s statement.

“The woman’s condition was critical and now she has succumbed to injuries. Will we still wait for the victim’s statement for the case to proceed? When will this 'investigations are ongoing’ business stop?” Mr Wakahiu queried.

While in Mombasa for police vetting, National Police Service Commission Chairman Johnstone Kavuludi said the commission exists to ensure that police officers carry out their functions while respecting the rights of the people adding that they would not sit back and see those rights dragged through the mud.

“We want to take disciplinary action which follows due process; we cannot take action against the officer now until the process is concluded. It is only then that we will see justice done in regard to the injured woman and also to the officer alleged to have committed the offence,” Mr Kavuludi added.

Police spokesperson Masoud Mwinyi had earlier indicated that the matter was under internal investigations and hoped that it would be handled in a proper manner.

“The matter was with the Internal Affairs Unit but you must be assured that it is nothing that the police will sit on and set aside.

“We are not ready to see our officers breaking the laws they are supposed to be upholding or harming the same people they should be protecting and we don’t want a scenario where people get away with all manner of acts of indiscipline.

"I believe the IAU will definitely come out with appropriate recommendations,” Mr Mwinyi said.

He however faulted the boda boda rider for failing to stop resulting to the accident.