Autopsy Inconclusive for Wangui as Police Bullet Blamed in Wambugu's Death

• Jul 16, 2025

Autopsies have shed some light—but also raised new questions—over the deaths of two young people during the Saba Saba protests in Nanyuki, Laikipia County.

On Monday, an autopsy on 24-year-old Julia Wangui Njoki, who collapsed while in custody, revealed no clear cause of death. The procedure, led by Dr. Peter Ndegwa of the Independent Medico-Legal Unit (IMLU), was conducted by a team of three pathologists. While minor bleeding was found in her brain, it was not severe enough to cause her death. The pathologists reported no visible head injuries and noted abnormalities in her liver, pancreas, and lungs. They have now recommended further toxicology tests and await treatment records from Nanyuki Women’s Prison, where Wangui collapsed.

Wangui's family, represented by Susan Rienye, expressed satisfaction with the preliminary findings and said they would wait for the final report due on July 28.

In a separate but related case, an autopsy on 23-year-old James Wambugu confirmed he died from a single gunshot wound sustained during the same protests. Wambugu, a Form Three student at Bingwa Secondary School, was shot in the hip. The bullet exited through his left side, damaging blood vessels and his intestines, which led to internal bleeding. Dr. Ndegwa, government pathologist Dr. Ayub Gitaka, and family representative Dr. Dorothy Njeru all agreed on the cause of death.

The autopsy was performed under tight security at Nanyuki Teaching and Referral Hospital. Representatives from the Law Society of Kenya, IPOA, the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, and the DCI’s Homicide Unit were present.

Wambugu's father, Lawrence Kiriinya—a DCI officer in Meru—was in attendance but declined to speak to the media. The family is now demanding justice. “Whoever shot our last-born brother should face the law,” said Anderson Kirimi, the family spokesperson.

Wambugu had previously dropped out of school and moved to Isiolo, where he was the victim of a violent robbery in 2022. Inspired by the care he received during recovery, he returned to school in 2023 with dreams of becoming a doctor. His mother, Jane Kinanu, said, “He vowed to save lives like those who saved his.”

Tensions remain high in Nanyuki, with local youth threatening protests over how the deaths were handled.