NAIROBI, Kenya – A postmortem examination has confirmed that Sheryl Adhiambo, a 21-year-old student at the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC), died from a single gunshot wound to the head, amid allegations that she was shot during a police operation in Huruma, Nairobi.
The examination, conducted by pathologists Grace Midigo and Simon Omuok, established that the bullet entered through the left side of Adhiambo’s head and exited at the back, causing extensive damage to the cerebral cavity.
The pathologists concluded that the injuries were fatal and that the student could not have survived the trauma.
Adhiambo was allegedly shot on the evening of February 7 as police pursued suspected robbers in Huruma estate, an incident that has since triggered protests and unrest in the area.
Following the release of the postmortem findings, human rights activists and political leaders renewed calls for justice, demanding accountability for the officer responsible for the fatal shooting.
The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) confirmed it has deployed a Rapid Response Team to investigate the incident.
The authority said investigators are collecting evidence, recording witness statements and analysing exhibits to establish the circumstances surrounding Adhiambo’s death.
In a parallel statement, the National Police Service (NPS) gave its account of events leading up to the shooting.
According to police, a complainant reported at Huruma Police Station earlier that day that he had been attacked by five young men known to him, robbed of a silver chain and Sh1,800, and threatened with death.
Officers arrested two suspects initially, before tracking down and arresting two more later that evening.
Police said that during the second arrest, one suspect raised an alarm, attracting a hostile crowd that allegedly began stoning officers in an attempt to disrupt the operation.
The NPS stated that officers fired warning shots into the air to disperse the crowd, during which Adhiambo was fatally shot.
The service urged residents to remain calm, allow investigations to proceed, and refrain from acts of lawlessness as authorities work to de-escalate tensions in Huruma
