Seven-Year Wait for Justice: Parents of Baby Killed by Police Still Seek Answers

KEKenya|

Joseph Oloo Abanja and Lensa Achieng continue to grieve the loss of their six-month-old daughter, Samantha Pendo, who died following a brutal police operation in Kenya seven years ago. The officers alleged to have been involved in her death have yet to face trial, causing immense frustration and sorrow for the grieving couple.

The tragic events unfolded on the night of August 11, 2017, during post-election riots in Kisumu, an opposition stronghold. Police, deployed to quell protests, used tear gas on the couple's home, leading to injuries that resulted in their daughter's hospitalization and eventual death from a broken skull and internal bleeding three days later.

Despite promises of justice, the scheduled court hearings against twelve police officers accused of murder, rape, and torture have been repeatedly postponed. Achieng shared the pain of waiting: “Each moment of expectation leads to disappointment in our search for justice.” Concerns about political will to prosecute are evident, with lawyers indicating that the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has not aggressively pursued the case.

Calls for accountability have been echoed by local leaders, including Kisumu governor Peter Anyango' Nyong'o, who has urged the chief justice to investigate possible obstruction of justice. The couple is now considering alternative legal routes, including approaching the East African Court of Justice or the International Criminal Court.

Their story highlights broader issues of police brutality and the struggle for justice for victims of election-related violence in Kenya, with the couple expressing a firm resolve to seek justice for their daughter, stating, "I’ll make sure that I have justice."

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