Inquest into Baby Pendo death reveals police ‘brutality’

The public inquest into the death of 6 months old baby Pendo continued with tales of police brutality meted on residents of Nyalenda slums, Kisumu.

Baby Pendo died in August last year, after she was allegedly clobbered on the head by police following chaotic scenes after the presidential poll winner was announced.

Ms Lucy Awino, a neighbor to the deceased’s parents, told the court that after declining to open the door as the officers demanded, they broke into her house and ordered her to sit on the table.

Awino, the 10^th witness to testify before Senior Resident Magistrate Beryl Omollo, claimed that despite being pregnant, the officers did not spare her.

She said they continued kicking and hitting her body with batons that they were carrying, leaving her in excruciating pain.

Attempts to prove to the officers her condition by showing them her pregnancy medication apparently proved futile.

The hearing was adjourned to April 20 with the representative from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) Nyakundi Mokaya noting that 11 more witnesses are lined up to testify.