NAIROBI, Kenya — The exact cause of death for Julia Wangui Njoki, the 24-year-old woman who collapsed and died while in police custody after the Saba Saba protests in Nanyuki, remains unresolved following an inconclusive post-mortem.
An autopsy conducted by a team of three pathologists, including Dr. Peter Ndegwa of the Independent Medico-Legal Unit (IMLU), found bleeding in Wangui’s brain — but not of a degree considered fatal.
The team said the findings ruled out direct physical trauma as the likely cause of her death.
“We don’t see direct injury to the head; therefore, we suspect the bleeding could have been caused by something other than trauma,” said Dr. Ndegwa.
The examination also revealed abnormalities in her liver, lungs, and pancreas, prompting calls for further tests, including toxicology and histology analyses.
Pathologists said they are also awaiting medical reports from the hospital that treated Wangui after her collapse at Nanyuki Women’s Prison.
The 24-year-old was among dozens of young people arrested during the July 7 Saba Saba protests, which have sparked nationwide outrage over police brutality and the handling of peaceful demonstrators.
Wangui’s family, while still grappling with the loss, said they were satisfied with the preliminary findings and are awaiting the full report, expected by July 28.
“We want to understand exactly what happened to Julia. We’re patient, and we trust that the truth will come out,” said family spokesperson Susan Rienye.
Wangui’s case joins a series of deaths and injuries being investigated by human rights organisations and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), amid mounting pressure on the government to hold law enforcement accountable.
Her death — like that of Bridgit Njoki, a 12-year-old girl reportedly killed by a police bullet during the same protests — has come to symbolise the tragic toll of what critics describe as state-sanctioned violence against unarmed civilians.
