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Nyaboga Kiage and Zadock Angira

Somali-American businessman Bashir Mohamed Mohamud, whose body was found in Kerugoya Hospital mortuary, was tortured before being strangled, an autopsy has revealed.

According to the postmortem conducted by Chief Government Pathologist Johansen Oduor, the body had multiple injuries, especially on the head, caused by a blunt object, and had burns that were round in shape. 

Oduor said the burns might have been inflicted by a burner or a round object that emanated flames.

Autopsy was conducted at the Umash Funeral Home yesterday. It revealed that the deceased had injuries on his toes and fingernails.

This according to the family, was a clear indication that Bashir, who was buried yesterday at Lang’ata Muslim Cemetery, struggled with the killers who brutally ended his life before dumping his body at River Nyamidi in Kirinyaga County located over 130km from Lavington, Nairobi where he was last seen alive.

Forensic analysis

The autopsy, however, revealed that the deceased was never shot as earlier reported.

There were indications that the deceased may have struggled with his killers. As a result, DNA samples, especially from the body and under the fingernails were also collected for forensic analysis and comparison.

The pathologist formed the opinion that the deceased could have died the same day his body was collected from the river.

Autopsy also revealed that the food he ate was still in the stomach and had not been digested, an indication that he was killed within a period of seven hours from the time he ate.

“He could have died the same day the body was found. He still had food he had eaten in the stomach. Bashir was kidnapped on May 13 and his body found on May 16.

The family lawyer, Charles Madowo, yesterday described the killers as ruthless who must have inflicted immense pain on his client for hours before they ended his life.

“He died of strangulation. There is evidence of torture on his nails and toes. The postmortem was done in the presence of officers from Dagoretti Police Station and those drawn from the Forensic Department of the DCI,” Madowo of HMS Advocates said.

Madowo said that the country is governed by the rule of law and there should be better ways of handling things no matter the circumstances that led to the death of his client.

“Some samples from the autopsy have been taken and they will be analysed by the Government Chemist to help establish more details about the death,” said the lawyer.

Asked whether the deceased had defensive injuries, Madowo said he had a number of injuries around his hands, which clearly showed he was defensive as the killers tortured him.

His father-in-law, Dr Rashid Omar, a former Chief Kadhi, said the family was being tortured psychologically with the turn of events.

Dr Omar decried the increased cases of extra-judicial killings, which have been taking place across the country, saying most families were suffering in silence.

“We ask God to deal with those who killed Bashir and it is advisable that the judicial process is closely followed so that we can have a decrease in similar cases,” he said.

Bashir’s America-based cousin, Omar Osman, yesterday said the family will not settle until the perpetrators are brought to book.

Judicial process

“We demand answers and we must be told the people who ended his life. We shall not stop until we get to the bottom of the matter,” he said.

The businessman was engaged in top Government projects in Somalia, Kenya and Tanzania that amounted to millions of shillings through his company known as Infinity Development Limited that he co-owns with his brother. His Range Rover was found dumped in Kibiku, Ngong in Kajiado County.