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A postmortem conducted on the body of slain Embakasi East constituency returning officer Daniel Mbolu Musyoka failed to establish the exact cause of death.

The autopsy conducted by five pathologists led by Government Pathologist Dr Dorothy Njeru at Loitoktok Sub-County hospital did not disclose any injuries that could point to the cause of death.

As a result, samples were collected for further forensic analysis after the four-hour exercise. His internal organs were found intact and pathologists now say the killing was done in a ‘professional’ manner.

“We cannot ascertain the cause of death as no physical injuries point to the cause of death,” Njeru told family members of the slain Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) official.

The body, which had visible signs of struggle, was spotted by herders at Kilombero River in Amboseli National Park, Kajiado South Constituency, who then alerted the authorities.

Investigations reveal that the deceased had packed his belongings at his Nairobi residence and left all the IEBC kits at the tallying centre.

On August 11, at around 9.40 am, Musyoka excused himself and told his bodyguard, AP Constable Dennis Maina Gichure who had picked him up from his residence, that he was going to make a call.

Receive a phone call

After he went missing, the matter was reported at Embakasi Police Station, Occurrence Book (OB) number 24/11/08/22. According to the report, the returning officer went out to receive a phone call but never returned.

“At around 9 am on the 11th of August 2022, Musyoka’s bodyguards escorted him from his house to the East African School of Aviation tallying centre. At around 09.45 am Musyoka excused himself to receive a phone call but did not return,” IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati said in a statement.

The body was found stark naked but the deceased are his clothes including a tracksuit were found at the edge of the valley. According to the detectives, the body had fresh bruises on the neck, an indication that he could have been strangulated. Also, his lower limbs were swollen.

To be buried

On Wednesday evening, the family transferred the body to Machakos Montezuma mortuary. He will be laid to rest in Mithetheni village in Mwala, Machakos County at a yet-to-be-confirmed date.

A senior detective yesterday told People Daily that they will question at least three Nairobi politicians over the death as soon as they conclude the first part of the investigations.

An analysis of the late Musyoka’s call data revealed that his phone was switched off in Donholm, within the Embakasi East constituency where he was the returning officer during the August 9 election.

The data further revealed that Musyoka did not make some of the calls he was assumed to be making when he was captured by the cameras.

At one point, the cameras captured Musyoka talking on the phone and his gestures and body language suggested he was involved in a bitter exchange with the caller on the other end.

So far, a number of witnesses have recorded statements with the detectives including his bodyguard, those who interacted with him before he disappeared and the herdsmen who recovered his body.

Detectives have visited a number of scenes including El Toro Club in Fedha, and Embakasi where they retrieved CCTV footage which detailed some of his final moments.

Police said he could have been kept somewhere for days before being killed

The late Musyoka is said to have left the tallying centre using the rear gate, on foot, and shortly thereafter, he met his colleague at the centre, who was riding on a motorcycle.

Asked what he was up to, Musyoka told his colleague that he was going to buy medicine.

For about nine minutes between 10.30 am and 10.39 am, Musyoka could be seen outside the tallying centre.

Detectives are also seeking to establish the identity of a woman who was captured by cameras as she approached the deceased.