The grandfather of one of the young men fatally shot in Eastleigh on March 31, 2017, shared his harrowing experience with the court, detailing how he learned of the tragic incident and the subsequent challenges he faced.
Ramadan Karani recounted his ordeal to the court during the initial day of the trial involving police officer Ahmed Rashid, who stands accused of the murders.
Karani recalled watching the news on that fateful day, witnessing a shooting incident. Upon seeing the victim, Jamal Mohamed, his grandson who worked as a casual laborer in Eastleigh, he was stunned. The footage showed Jamal in a white Kanzu and red shoes, being shot by a man in civilian attire.
Shocked by the news, Karani who resides in Tana River County, immediately contacted his nephew in Nairobi for confirmation. Three days later, he and his sister Khadija traveled to Nairobi in pursuit of justice.
Their quest led them to the CID police headquarters, where they were informed about a body at City Mortuary. Accompanied by both family members and police, they identified Jamal's body, bearing bullet wounds to the head.
After the post-mortem examination, during which multiple bullets were recovered, the family was granted permission to bury Jamal.
During cross-examination, Rashid's counsel, Danstan Omari, raised doubts about Jamal's innocence, pointing to a photo where Jamal was seen wearing a combat jacket. Karani clarified that Jamal might have borrowed it and asserted that it didn't imply his involvement in any criminal activities.
Despite his grief, Karani appealed to the court to acknowledge the immense pain his family endured. He was the second witness to testify, with his session being open to the media and public.
Following the closure of the day's proceedings, the court established a protocol to prevent delays in future sessions. Parties would receive notifications three days before the hearing dates to confirm readiness and list witnesses. The state was cautioned against revealing the names of protected witnesses.
The next hearing dates were set for June 12 and June 13, starting at 9 am.
