- An autopsy confirmed that Karatina businessman George Gathu Matheri was shot four times, including wounds to the chest, head, and shoulder
- The autopsy, conducted jointly by the government and a private pathologist on Wednesday, January 21, was witnessed by family, friends, and human rights activists.
- Family lawyer Lilian Nyawira called for a quick and independent investigation by the Independent Police Oversight Authority (IPOA), warning against hiding anything
- Gathu’s brother expressed cautious optimism about the ongoing investigation, saying he trusts the DCI, the police, and IPOA to conduct a thorough and credible investigation.
An autopsy report has confirmed that George Gathu Matheri, a businessman who was shot by a police officer in Karatina, suffered four gunshot wounds.
Source: UGC
On Wednesday, January 21, a cloud of sadness hung over the Karatina County Sub-Hospital as friends, family, and human rights activists gathered to witness the procedure.
How did George Gathu Matheri die in Karatina?
The autopsy was done jointly by the state psychiatrist Dr. Kamotho Watenga is a psychiatrist employed by the family.
Although the report was not fully read to the press, it confirmed that all the bullets had exited the body, leaving Gathu with no chance of survival.
According to the autopsy, Gathu suffered two wounds to the chest, one bullet that entered and exited his head, and a fourth wound to his right shoulder.
“There were entries from the chest of two people, then the bullet went directly to the head, and then there was one entry, and then it left from the left. And then there was this, on the left, there was one entry, but the bullet could not be received when it went here,” Stacey Akinyi, an activist representing Vocal Africa, said.
What does Matheri’s family say about the ongoing investigation?
The results, confirmed by the family’s lawyer Lilian Nyawira, contradicted the explanation that the deceased tried to grab the officer’s gun.
Nyawira called for a thorough investigation into the incident, warning that the family will not stop at an attempt to cover it up.
“Investigations have revealed that there were four wounds, four entrance wounds. My clients will reject any attempt to clean up the circumstances that led to the shooting. And my clients have very clear claims. We want a quick, independent and transparent investigation from the Independent Police Oversight Authority (IPOA),” Nyawira said.
Source: Facebook
Gathu’s brother, Peter Wangondu, expressed cautious optimism about the ongoing investigation, adding that he had left the matter to investigative agencies.
“The investigation is still ongoing, and I believe the team from the DCI, the police, and also IPOA, I believe they will do a very good job,” Wangondu added.
Inside the tragic shooting of Matheri
Earlier, CCTV footage from the Rubis petrol station in Karatina, where the incident took place, raised more questions about the circumstances that led to Gathu’s death.
The 42-second clip shows a dispute between two businessmen escalating as two officers of the Administrative Police intervene.
An officer is seen pushing and hitting Gathu as he tries to leave, before stopping him near the exit of the station, where he collapses after what appears to be gunshots.
On Tuesday, January 20, a Nyeri court approved a 14-day police detention for AP officer Peter Mwangi to allow investigators to protect witnesses and continue investigations into the murder.
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