Committee opens probe on NIS director Adala’s death

A parliamentary committee has opened an investigation into the death of the Deputy Director National Intelligence Service (NIS) director Tom Adala which occurred last week.

Speaker Moses Wetang’ula directed that the Committee on Administration and Internal Security open an investigation on the death following a request by Alego Usonga MP Samuel Atandi.

Atandi wants the committee to investigate the circumstances that led to the death of the officer who is alleged to have taken his own life.

He also wants the committee to establish whether the officer could have been re-assigned other duties within the service.

“The committee should also give information about the legal and policy framework for such re-assignment of duties if at all it even happened,” Atandi said in the statement.

The committee, the MP said should to make public reasons for the re-assignment of Adala’s day-to-day work.

“The committee should tell the country the provide information on the authenticity of claims that Adala suffered from stress and humiliation at the NIS over his ethnicity,” Atandi demanded.

He continued; “Provide a report on the status of investigations into the death of Tom Adala, including a timeline for the completion of the investigation and when the findings would be made public to provide clarity and closure for Adala’s family and friends.”

Adala was found dead at his residence at Kirichwa Villas in Kilimani under unclear circumstances last Wednesday. Initial reports indicated that Adala took his life due to depression and stress.

Public servant

Atandi who described the deceased as a dedicated public servant said the circumstances surrounding his death should therefore be investigated.

“The circumstances surrounding his death call for thorough and transparent investigations to ensure justice for his family and address any work-related circumstances that may have led to his tragic death to secure the integrity of NIS and other national security institutions,” Atandi said.

Adala was an assistant director in charge of counter-violent extremism at NIS headquarters in Ruaraka, Nairobi

A post-mortem examination of the body of Adala has concluded that he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The deceased was killed by a single bullet to his head according to a report by the Chief government pathologist Johansen Oduor who conducted the autopsy at the Lee funeral home.

Preliminary investigations by the police had indicated that Adala shot himself from the right side of the head using a pistol with the bullet exiting the left side. Police said he had been battling depression.