North eastern deputy regional police commander John Matasi./STEPHEN ASTARIKO

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A postmortem conducted on the body of 24-year-old taxi driver Aden Mohamed Hassan, who was allegedly killed by police, has established the cause of death.

Government pathologist Dr Edwin Walonga said the deceased died from a single gunshot wound that entered through the nose and exited at the back of the head.

Walonga spoke to journalists at Garissa Referral Hospital mortuary on Wednesday.

He said the bullet penetrated the brain, caused severe skull damage and exited through the rear of the head, killing him instantly.

“We managed to conduct the postmortem and have prepared our findings based on what we established as the cause of death. We have also taken samples for specialised analysis, which will be included in our final report,” Walonga said.

The government pathologists were accompanied by local MCAs, who said they would now allow the family time to bury the deceased in line with Islamic rites.

On Tuesday, residents took to the streets and engaged in running battles with police, protesting the incident.

Speaking at Garissa Police Station, the uncle of the deceased, Ali Hassan, expressed sorrow over the killing.

He said they were saddened and called for action, adding that they had always known police are meant to protect civilians but now felt they had turned against them.

He added that this was the third killing in recent months and called on the government to ensure such incidents do not continue.

Garissa Woman Representative Udgoon Siyad, joined by several MCAs, called on Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen to take firm action.

She also alleged a possible cover-up.

“As a mother with a child the age of the deceased, I will not allow the killing of our young people to continue,” she said.

North Eastern Deputy Regional Police Commander John Matasi, however, dismissed claims of a cover-up and said the Independent Policing Oversight Authority had taken over investigations into the shooting.

“Our officers were on patrol in the Modika area where the young man was shot dead. His body is at the Garissa Referral Hospital mortuary awaiting postmortem,” he said.

“As you know, whenever a civilian is shot by a police officer, investigations are taken over by IPOA, and they are on the ground handling the matter,” he added.