Slain Kwale girl Kwekwe Mwandaza's family fears for their safety
Muslims for Human Rights (Muhuri) project director Mr Francis Auma (right) addresses reporters in Mombasa on September 2, 2014, accompanied by the family of Kwekwe Mwandaza, who was allegedly shot dead by police last month. From left, the girl's uncle Mr Ndurya Zani, her mother, Ms Umazi Zani, and Mr Hussein Zani. PHOTO | GEORGE KIKAMI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- The family said people on motorcycles had visited their Maweu village in Kwale demanding to be shown where the boy is.
- The Mombasa-based Muslims for Human Rights were Tuesday making plans to take the boy to an undisclosed shelter for his security.
The family of Kwekwe Mwandaza, the 14-year-old girl alleged to have been shot dead by police in Kwale County two weeks ago, has expressed fear over their security.
In particular, the family is in fear over the safety of their eight-year-old child, who is said to have witnessed the killing.
According to the girl’s uncle, Hussein Zani, unknown people have visited their home three times inquiring about the whereabouts of Kwekwe's cousin, who had spoken out about the killing.
Speaking to Nation journalists at Fort Jesus on Tuesday morning, Mr Zani said people on motorcycles had visited their Maweu village in Kwale demanding to be shown where the boy was.
Mr Zani said the strangers asked the villagers around to show where he was but at no time did they cooperate with them.
“For now, we feel that the boy’s life is threatened and he requires protection from these strangers so that they don’t kidnap and disappear with him,” he said.
UNDISCLOSED SHELTER
The Mombasa-based Muslims for Human Rights (Muhuri) was Tuesday making plans to take the boy to an undisclosed location for his security.
The organisation’s rapid response officer Francis Auma said Muhuri was keen to protect they boy from threats.
“We understand that the boy is the key witness and without him the case will collapse. We will do everything to ensure he is not harmed," he said.
The family was expected to record further statements later Tuesday with the investigations team and also move to court with their lawyer, Dr John Khaminwa.
The lawyer is expected to make an application to exhume Kwekwe’s body for independent investigations.
“A pathologist from the Independent Medical Legal Unit will exhume the body once the order is granted by the court,” Mr Auma said.
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Keriako Tobiko, has directed the team investigating the alleged killing of Kwekwe by police officers to do further investigations.
Through Assistant Deputy Public Prosecutions Alexander Muteti, the DPP wants the team of five investigators to carry out a thorough investigation and address broad areas of investigations that he says have gaps.
FURTHER INVESTIGATIONS
Mr Muteti said that after going through the file, Kwale County Criminal Investigations Officer Onesmus Toweet and Kwale County Police Commander Kenneth Kimani were directed to carry out further investigations as directed, after which the DPP would make a decision on the direction the case should take.
The State Counsel said the team led by Mr Toweet on Tuesday handed him the investigation file as directed by the office last week in an attempt to unravel the mystery behind the killings.
Mr Muteti said after going through the documents, it was noted that 10 witnesses had already recorded statements with the investigators, including the boy who was present at the scene at the time of shooting.
He said there were missing links that needed to investigated further.
EXTRA-JUDICIAL KILLINGS
Nominated MP Zuleikha Hassan called for speedy investigations into the shooting to death of the Kwale school girl.
Ms Hassan said such acts have to be stopped, noting that the killing of the Standard Four pupil was not in isolation.
“There are so many cases of extra-judicial killings that have been reported and time has come for them to be dealt with once and for all,” she said.
Ms Hassan said police officers have to maintain high levels of professionalism in their work in order to avoid ruthless killing of innocent people.
She explained that even if the girl was armed with a panga as claimed, there would have been a way to stop her without using excessive force.
Mr Karisa Dalu, who is Kwekwe's uncle, said the family was hopeful that justice would prevail after the DPP called for the file and directed officers to conduct further investigations.
Mr Dalu said the family wants the body to be exhumed so that further and independent investigations can be conducted.
“We want the body to be exhumed and our lawyer has promised us it will be done because even the burial was conducted without our consent,” he said.
