Autopsy confirms Sheryl Adhiambo died from single bullet wound in the head

Sheryl Adhiambo/FILE

An autopsy on the body of Sheryl Adhiambo, the 21-year-old reportedly shot by police in Huruma estate, Nairobi, showed she died from a single bullet wound.

She was shot in the head on Saturday night, triggering a two-day protest. Adhiambo was a student at the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC).

The autopsy, conducted by two pathologists, found that the bullet entered through the left side of her head and exited from the back, rupturing the cerebral cavity.

Pathologists Grace Midigo and Simon Omuok said the injuries were fatal and that she could not have survived the trauma.

“The body had a single bullet wound in the head,” said Midigo.

A group of activists and political figures present at the City Mortuary called for justice over her death. They demanded accountability from the officer involved in the shooting.

The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) confirmed that it had deployed a Rapid Response Team to investigate the incident. The team was present during the autopsy.

IPOA said its officers are actively gathering evidence, interviewing witnesses, and analysing available exhibits to establish the circumstances surrounding Adhiambo’s death.

Adhiambo had reportedly finished her examinations and was in the area to help her mother with a fish business she runs there.

The National Police Service (NPS) outlined events leading up to the shooting. A complainant reportedly 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 responding to the report arrested two suspects, with further investigations leading to the arrest of two more later in the evening.

Police said that during the second arrest, one of the suspects raised an alarm, prompting nearby youths to reportedly stone 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 allow due process to take its course and to refrain from further acts of lawlessness to help de-escalate tensions and restore calm while investigations continue.

The incident sparked protests in the area, reportedly leaving at least three vehicles torched and several properties damaged on Saturday night and Sunday.

Both the police and IPOA are investigating the shooting incident.