Shot from behind: Family seeks justice for fisherman killed during Saba Saba protests

The family of James Nayo who was shot dead in Naivasha during the Saba Saba demonstrations breaks down after learning that he was shot in the back by police while fleeing. [Antony Gitonga, Standard]

The family of James Nayo, who was killed by police during the Saba Saba demonstrations in Naivasha, is demanding justice after a post-mortem revealed that he was shot from the back.

According to an autopsy done at Naivasha sub-county hospital mortuary, the 37-year-old fisherman died from complications after the bullet entered through the back and exited through the abdomen.

Emotions ran high at the facility as the family tried to come to terms with the incident that occurred last week during the demonstrations in the lakeside town.

According to the sister Judy Nayo, the family was going through untold pain as they prepared to rest their elder brother.

Tears flowing down her cheeks, she said that the family was still trying to come to terms with the death of their father a couple of years back, terming the latest death a double tragedy.

“My mother is still weak after learning about the death of her firstborn son, and all that we are demanding is justice for our brother,” she said.

Another brother, Gordon Nayo, said that the shooting incidents across the country had left tens of families in pain as they moved in to bury their kin.

“To the government and mainly the police officers who are shooting randomly, your day will come and you will come to learn why we are bitter with your actions,” he said.

A representative of IMLU Bernard Kuria, lashed out at shooting orders by the President on demonstrators, adding that individual police officers would carry the burden of killings.

“In Naivasha, three people were shot dead, and those police behind these killings will bear the consequences of their actions alone,” he said.

According to government pathologist Dr Titus Ngulungu, the deceased was wheeled to the hospital on the 7th of July suffering from a gunshot wound.

He said that he died while undergoing treatment, adding that Nayo had an injury to internal organs that led to bleeding.

“We have so far conducted three postmortems, and all of the victims died from gunshot wounds that caused internal bleeding,” he said.

The family doctor, Peter Ndegwa, confirmed the cause of death as internal bleeding, adding that the complications were brought in by the gunshot wound.

“There was a gunshot to the abdomen which injured the transverse colon and also the underlying mesentery and probably caused bleeding,” he said.