Molo ‘President’ was slashed and hacked to death

 

A post-mortem on the body of Richard Otieno, a Molo-based activist popularly known as ‘Molo President’, has revealed that he succumbed to severe head injuries caused by a sharp object, possibly a machete or axe, used multiple times.

The examination on the activist, who was killed on Saturday night, was carried out by Government Pathologist Johansen Oduor at the Kericho County Hospital Mortuary yesterday.

Dr Oduor confirmed that the deceased suffered several deep injuries to the back of the head, leading to skull fractures and significant brain bleeding.

“Additionally, there was a slash wound on the front of the scalp and bruises on the face, indicating extreme violence,” he said

Oduor added that Otieno’s body also had defensive wounds on his arms, consistent with attempts to shield himself from the attack.

“The injuries confirm he died due to severe head trauma inflicted by a sharp object, likely a machete or axe,” he said.

The pathologist further revealed that body samples, including fingernails, were collected for DNA analysis at the government forensic laboratory, and toxicology tests would determine if the deceased was incapacitated before the attack.

“When individuals engage in violent confrontations, there’s usually an exchange of DNA material, which is crucial in identifying perpetrators,” said Oduor.

Dr Titus Ngulugu, representing the family and the Independent Medical-Legal Unit during the post-mortem, concurred with the findings, emphasizing their accuracy.

The family’s lawyer, Rosalinda Wamaitha, expressed satisfaction with the ongoing investigations by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), noting the progress made since the incident.

“We are optimistic that justice will be delivered, given the positive steps taken so far,” she said.