DCI team dispatched to River Yala to fast-track identification of victims

A special forensic investigations team attached to the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) headquarters has been dispatched to River Yala to speed up probe and identification of bodies that were retrieved from the river.

In a statement, National Police Service Spokesperson Bruno Shioso says the team will also assist with investigations on the purported murders of Kenyans.

“To speed up the identification of the victims and other forensic investigations, a special forensic investigations team from the DCI headquarters has been dispatched to the scene at River Yala and Yala Sub County Level 4 hospital to assist in further investigations,” he said.

However, Shioso dismissed claims that the incidences are current stating that in the last two years, 19 cases of bodies from the river had been filed with the police, despite residents accounts that over 30 bodies have been retrieved in the past year.

“This number represents a cumulative body count over the slated period contrary to media reports insinuating all the incidences are recent occurrences,” he stated.

In the meantime, the police have urged anyone with information that would help in the investigations to provide the same to the police.

This comes after the human rights group, Haki Africa, called on the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutor (DPP) to investigate the numerous bodies found dumped in River Yala.

In a statement, the director of Haki Africa Hussein Khalid confirmed several bodies had been retrieved from the river.

Hussein said the bodies are usually brought in a double cabin pick up and probox and on reaching the bridge, men come out of the vehicles, pick the bodies and throw them over the bridge and into the river.

“We have also witnessed ten of unknown bodies at the Yala Sub-County Hospital Mortuary that were fished from the river. Some of the bodies were found in sacks, well sewn like parcels,” he said.

According to locals, the bodies are dumped in the river by unknown persons.

The lobby group raised concerns over the matter saying cases of people missing without a trace have been on the rise.

They have called on the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to equally intervene and ascertain whether or not there was the involvement of the police in the killings.

“We write to seek your intervention and have investigations on the above matter initiated. Kenyans need to know the identity of those killed and those behind the killings and subsequent dumping of the bodies in the river,” Hussein said.