Austrian who perished in Kilifi fall died from heroin overdose, police allege

Police now claim postmortem findings on the body of an Austrian who died in Mombasa last Wednesday showed there was excess heroin in his system.

Detectives suspect Armin Roger Roeseler, 47, died from a drug overdose after a binge with an unnamed compatriot and two Kenyan women.

The two women were arrested and detained when they reported the incident.

Initially police had alleged that Roeseler died after a fall from some raised ground or balcony.

Yesterday, the officers hinted that the women would be freed, indicating the death was no longer a subject of criminal investigation.

Roeseler, who was pronounced dead at Jocham Hospital, arrived in Kenya last month and was living in Diani, Kwale.

On Friday, Mtwapa police boss Ochoro Kodi said the officer had obtained court orders to hold the two women for days pending a postmortem examination.

We could not independently verify the authenticity of the alleged report.