Family of Homa Bay Police Officer Killed at Linda Mwananchi Rally Seeks Justice

The family of a police officer who died while on duty during the Linda Mwananchi rally in Homa Bay County on Sunday is demanding answers over the circumstances surrounding his death.

The family of Police Constable Jim Richardson Onkundi, says it has received conflicting accounts from police about how the officer died and is calling for an independent investigation.

Jim's eldest brother, Peter Onkundi, said he last spoke to his brother on Sunday afternoon when the officer told him that they were almost done with their assignment and would soon return to the station.

“I talked to my brother on Sunday evening, and he told me that they were almost through with work and would be returning to the station. It was around 3 pm,” Peter said.

Peter said he later went to rest because he was suffering from a severe headache.

His phone went off, and when he switched it on the following morning at about 7:30 am, he found numerous missed calls from police officers.

At around 8:30 am, an inspector called and informed him that Jim had died.

“He told me to prepare my family and go to Homa Bay. He didn't explain further,” Peter said.

The family travelled towards Kisumu County, accompanied by neighbours, a bishop and pastors.

They received information that Jim had been taken to Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH), before being directed to Chemelil and later to Otho Mortuary, where they found his body.

According to Peter, the family was initially told that Jim had been involved in a road accident after a stone was allegedly thrown at the police vehicle he was driving, striking him on the forehead.

“We were told that after being hit by a stone, his vehicle lost control, veered off the road and hit a house,” he said.

However, the family says the explanation has left them with more questions than answers.

The family suspects that Jim may have been strangled due to his swollen neck and hit by an object owing to an injury at the back of his head.

They want authorities to establish what actually happened.

“We suspect that our kin was killed. We want to know the truth,” he said.

The family has also raised questions over Jim's personal belongings, including his phones, ID and wallet.

Peter said they asked for the items when they went to Kisumu but were unable to establish where they were.

“We are told that the ambulance carrying him had less oxygen. He was not taken to hospital, he was taken directly to the morgue,” he said.

The family was later informed that police had only recovered a fueling card from the vehicle.

Jim's elder brother, Simon Juma Okundi, said the family received contradictory explanations about the officer's death.

“We were told that he had been hit by a stone. We didn't see any injury on the forehead. Instead, he had an injury at the back of the head and blood in the ears and some stitches,” Simon said.

The family is now calling on investigative agencies, including the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), to investigate the death.

“We want them to tell us what killed our brother,” Simon said.

He described Jim as a police constable who had gone for training before getting a promotion to become a corporal and recently returned to duty after taking a two-month break.

“He took off for two months and went back to work and just within a week, our son is being brought to us in a casket,” he said.

Jim's widow, Havilla Jim, said she was shocked when she received news of her husband's death.

She said she had spoken to him at around 5 pm on the day he died and that he had told her he was working in Homa Bay and would call her later that night after returning to the station.

“I waited, but the phone didn't come. The following morning, I was told that my husband is dead. I refused to believe this and decided to dial his number countless times,” Havilla said.

She said the phone appeared to be going through, but the person who answered did not speak.

“Finally, the phone was answered and I heard a familiar voice telling me that my husband is dead,” she said.

Havilla, who has been widowed at just 25 years old, said Jim was the sole provider for the family and that she is now facing an uncertain future with their one-year-old child and another baby on the way.

Jim's mother, Priscah Zablon Onkundi, said she depended heavily on her son for her family's needs.

“I am a widow and my son is whom I depended on in everything,” she said.

Priscah said Jim supported her, his wife and child, providing food and meeting their daily needs.

“We want the truth to be known and we want his personal property to be brought to us,” she said.

The family is now calling for a transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding Jim's death, saying it wants to know whether the officer died in a road accident as initially reported or under different circumstances.

“We want to know the truth behind his death. We want justice,” Priscah said.

The family says it will continue seeking answers from the relevant authorities and wants all questions surrounding Jim's death, the condition of his body, his movements after the rally and the whereabouts of his personal belongings addressed.