Three men tragically lost their lives on Christmas at Thika River close to the Del Monte pineapple farm, as per a joint autopsy conducted by three pathologists at Thika’s General Kago morgue. The findings further revealed that three out of the four men had drowned.
Furthermore, the postmortem also disclosed that two bodies displayed multiple injuries on various parts, including the head and neck. However, these injuries were not deemed fatal.
Dr. Benard Midiya, a pathologist hired by the victims’ families, highlighted the significance of these injuries in aiding the ongoing investigations.
“We had a number of injuries that involved the head, parts of the neck, and they are of various sizes and designs and they will be documented in detail in the required official format and they will assist in further investigations,” Dr Midiya said.
Contrary to this perspective, Pathologist Geoffrey Mutuma, representing Del Monte, downplayed the significance of the injuries, considering them minor and superficial.
He remarked, “Of course, the injuries were not that serious because what we look for is injuries that can be able to incapacitate somebody.”
Activists caution against disregarding injuries
However, Kamanda Mucheke, the head of investigations at the Kenya National Commission for Human Rights (KNCHR), cautioned against disregarding any injuries. He stressed that preliminary investigations from KNCHR suggested the men were attacked by Del Monte security guards before being pushed into the river.
“Another fact we have established is that these people were already subdued… that they were being pushed into the river as they were beaten by the guards,” Mucheke highlighted.
In response to queries, Del Monte Kenya stated they would release an official statement once they have gathered all the relevant information.
The families of the deceased are calling for justice and urging the investigating agencies to expedite the process.
The victims have been identified as Mbae Mulumbi, 21, Bernard Mutua, 22, and Francis Muimi, 34, while one body remains unidentified.
Reports indicate that on December 21st, 2023, the four were allegedly stealing pineapples at the Del Monte farm in Thika before the altercation with the guards. Their bodies were recovered from Thika River on Christmas Eve.
146 other incidents recorded involving Del Monte Security guards
This is not the first time that Security Guards from Del Monte farm have been accused of attacking people caught in the farm.
The farm covers around 40 sq km and has public roads going through it. To protect the vast property, the farm has hired security guards to deter theft of its pineapples.
However, the guards are accused of using excessive force against supposed trespassers onto the land resulting in brutal assaults and killings. Some alleged victims said they were indiscriminately physically or sexually attacked by guards while traveling on public roads through or near Del Monte land.
The scale of the accusations has been captured by the law firm Leigh Day in a letter to Del Monte detailing 146 alleged incidents involving 134 locals over a decade. It includes claims of five deaths – all since 2019 – as well as reports of dozens of serious injuries and beatings that have left people unconscious. It also includes five allegations of rape.
The farm is the largest exporter of Kenyan produce to the world, and supplies pineapple to major supermarkets in the UK, including Tesco, Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Ocado and Morrisons.
