A Kisumu court on Thursday found police culpable of Baby Samantha Pendo's death in August, 2017.
Kisumu Senior Resident Magistrate Beryl Omollo, who presided over a public inquest into the death of the then 6-month-old Baby Pendo, said former top police officers in Kisumu have a case to answer following the death of Pendo.
The officers are then Kisumu County Police Commander Titus Yoma, then Kisumu East OCPD Mutune Maweu, then Kisumu Central OCS John Thiringi, Linah Kosgei who was in charge of Nyalenda police Station and Benjamin Koima who was in charge of Kisumu West.
Reacting to the ruling, Pendo’s parents Joseph Abanja and Lencer Achieng said they are happy that the wheels of justice are slowly taking their course.
“I am very happy. Although Baby Pendo did not die alone, but I hope that justice that has been given to Pendo has also been served to the others, " Achieng told members of the press shortly after the ruling.
“When we started I said that we were fighting for justice and in the end it has been served. This shows that we were attacked by police,” said Mr Abanja.
Baby Pendo died at the Agha Khan Hospital on August 15, 2017; three days after she was allegedly hit by a police baton on the head at her parents’ house in Nyalenda Estate.
Police reportedly broke into houses to ‘contain’ residents, who were protesting after IEBC declared President Uhuru Kenyatta the winner of the 2017 Presidential elections.