The family of Beryl Adhiambo Ouma, the young woman who was recently killed by her husband, claims attempts were made to hide the circumstances surrounding her painful death.
Her father, Senior Chief Douglas Ouma Nyakacha says pressure was exerted on hospital authorities to distort facts and cover what he insists was murder.
It is believed Beryl died following a brawl with her husband Laiko Osuri. The 28-year-old woman allegedly died at Uhai Neema Hospital in Nairobi, where she had been taken by the husband and parents-in-law Richard and Flavian Osuri.
The chief drove to the hospital in Kahawa Sukari from Lang’ata after being informed by one of Laiko’s relatives that her daughter had been taken to hospital.
“I was shocked when a staffer at the hospital told me my daughter was brought there while already dead. Not convinced, I demanded to view the body,” says Nyakacha, who was taken to a room where the lifeless body of Beryl was lying on a wheel stretcher. Besides the body was Flavian, whose presence so angered Nyakacha to the point of losing his cool.
The chief sought clarification from management on whether his daughter arrived while alive or dead.
Nyakacha says he was informed that his daughter was declared dead on arrival and that some of Laiko’s relatives wanted the hospital to indicate in the medical report that Beryl was brought there while still breathing.
“The hospital refused to be part of the cover-up scheme,” says Nyakacha, blaming Richard and Flavian for not bothering to inform him about the fight involving their children.
He claims that when he accompanied police to Beryl’s house, which is a walking distance from the hospital, they discovered it was cleaned and neatly arranged.
Laiko was arrested in connection with the death. “We immediately arrested him and took him to court,” says Ruiru OCPD James Ngetich.
“I think someone coached them on what to do, but they forgot the bloodstained piece of cloth used to cover Beryl’s wounds in the head,” says Nyakacha.
A post-mortem established that Beryl, who was married to Laiko in October 2017, died as a result of strangulation and head injuries. She was hit with a blunt object at least six times.
The Nairobian sought comments from Osuri’s, but they did not wish talk about the matter. “No comment, let’s leave it at that,” said a man who answered the call to Richard Osuri.
Nyakacha claims the other family had been elusive when he tried to find out the state of his daughter after sensing Beryl could be in danger prior to her death. He says he woke up at around 5am to discover Beryl had tried to reach him thrice.
“When I finally managed to reach her husband after calling Beryl several times in vain, I heard my daughter saying in the background, ‘Why are you lying to my father when you have already killed me,’” recounts Nyakacha.
“When he heard my daughter complaining, he hung up the phone on me and never picked subsequent calls I made to his phone,” says Nyakacha.
He further claims that Richard Osuri also did not pick his calls until around 6am, when he was informed that Beryl had been taken to hospital.
“My daughter once complained to me that her husband was frustrating her. The man didn’t want her to work,” says Nyakacha.
Beryl was a clinical officer. The father says he recently gave her Sh1,500 for a hair makeover at a salon.
It is understood that Laiko was a taxi driver in Qatar and returned back to the country under unclear circumstances