A postmortem examination conducted by pathologist Richard Njoroge revealed that Justus Mutumwa and Martin Mwau, two of the Mlolongo abductees found dead in January, died from severe injuries.
The autopsy identified multiple abdominal and chest wounds caused by a blunt object, as well as strangulation, as the primary causes of death.
Njoroge provided detailed insights during a press briefing at the City Mortuary on Wednesday. He explained that significant decomposition had already occurred by the time the postmortem was performed, complicating the examination process.
For Mutumwa, the findings included head, abdominal, and chest injuries, along with defense wounds on his arms.
“For the first body (Mutumwa), there were multiple abdominal, chest, and head injuries and we also have defense injuries on the arms. It looks like there was a struggle. When you try to defend yourself, you will get what we call defense injuries on the arms and the wrists,” explained Njoroge.
Mwau’s cause of death was determined to be manual neck compression, though his body also exhibited additional injuries. Njoroge noted that the second victim suffered from scalp injuries, posterior abdominal wall damage, and thoracic trauma.
“The second body (Mwau) was very decomposed. The main findings were a scalp or head injury. He also had posterior abdominal wall and thoracic injuries. Again, it was multiple injuries,” Njoroge explained. “Furthermore, there were injuries to the neck and strap muscles. We determined that the cause of death for the second victim was manual neck compression.”
Mutumwa’s body was discovered in Ruai and later transported to the City Mortuary in Nairobi. His family confirmed that the body arrived at the mortuary on December 18, 2024, just two days after he went missing. Meanwhile, Mwau’s remains were found at the Nairobi Funeral Home, formerly known as City Mortuary. He had been missing for 44 days since December 17.
The four men from Mlolongo, Machakos County—Justus Mutumwa, Martin Mwau, Karani Mwema, and Stephen Mbisi Kavingu—disappeared on December 16 and December 17, 2024. Reports suggest that masked individuals, believed to be police officers, abducted them. However, the National Police Service (NPS) denied any involvement in the alleged abductions, stating that their role was limited to investigating the case.
Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja and DCI Director Mohammed Amin appeared in court following a lengthy legal summons process. Both officials categorically denied holding the four men in custody or being involved in their disappearance.
“We are committed to uncovering the truth behind these incidents,” said Kanja, emphasizing the ongoing probe into the matter.
