Pathologist deconstructs police version over death of a barmaid in Homabay,says she was strangled.

A postmortem report in possession of Missing Voices has revealed that a cashier at a bar in Homabay county,Suba South Subcounty within Laknyiero shopping centre died after she was strangled and hit with a blunt object on the head.

Caroline Achieng alias Everline Achieng was allegedly attacked by police officers from Magunga police station on July 7,2021 at Laknyiero trading centre when they were enforcing curfew measures.

The report by Dr Awinda Victor Omollo points at torture against the deceased by the police.
“As a result of my investigation,I formed the opinion that the cause of death was asphyxiation”. Dr Omollo said.

Homa Bay county police commander Anthony Njeru had earlier told the press Achieng collapsed when she was told to carry a crate of bear by the arresting officers.

The doctor termed asphyxiation as the immediate cause of death of Achieng while he said antecedent cause was cardiorespiratory failure.

Omollo said in the report that underlying cause of the death was throttling.

He noted a fracture in the respiratory system. “There is a fracture of first cricoid cartilage and bruising of vocal cords.” He said.

He said the tracheal is compressed at the level of the first cricoid cartilage.

In the cardiovascular system,left ventricular hypertrophy in a fatty heart was found. Heart is one and a half times size of a normal being estimated by an adult clenched fist. “There is conjunctival and sceleral haemorrhage.” Reads the report.

The report further indicates that lividity is prominent on the head,the left eye brow has got deep cut wound measuring approximately two centimetres and whose edges are irregular indicating blunt forced trauma.

“There is a ridge running across the anterior neck whose diameter is approximately two centimetres terminating under the angle of mandibles.” Adds the report.

The bar owner Otieno Kimwamu said the bar has guest rooms as well. He said the police broke into the bar which had already closed and forced their way inside.

He said, “The officers were eight. They broke the padlock and three of them went upstairs to the bar and entered in the cashier’s office and attacked the deceased. You cannot enforce curfew in someone’s house. They had a different mission.”

He said Achieng was an orphan and had been her employee for nine years. “Her child also died a while ago. We only demand for justice.” Otieno said.