Mystery deepens in murder of ex-MP's son Hanington Were after new autopsy findings

The family of the late Hanington Were, the 39-year-old son of former Matungu MP David Were, has alleged foul play in his murder after a post-mortem examination contradicted earlier claims about how he died.

An autopsy conducted on Tuesday revealed that Hanington, an employee of the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) based at Kisumu Huduma Centre, died from multiple stab wounds and not a blow to the head from a blunt object as initially reported.

Speaking after the examination at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) morgue, former MP David Were said the findings had changed the direction of investigations.

“My son was killed on Sunday, May 24. Initially, we were told he had been hit on the back of the head and collapsed, but doctors have now established he sustained three major stab wounds that caused severe internal bleeding,” he said.

According to Were, pathologists found that one stab wound pierced through the back into the lungs, while another injured the lungs and kidneys.

“The doctors told us the injuries were extremely severe. From their assessment, whoever attacked him intended to kill him,” he said, adding that survival chances would have been minimal even with immediate medical attention.

The former legislator said detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) were comparing witness statements with the autopsy findings.

However, he questioned inconsistencies in the account given by the man who was reportedly with Hanington during his final moments.

According to the family, Hanington left his Mountain View Estate home with a friend to buy food and drinks at Mamba Trading Centre before the attack near Makini International School.

The witness allegedly claimed the attack happened around midnight, but Hanington was only taken to JOOTRH at about 3am.

“We are trying to understand what happened during that three-hour gap because whoever was with him says the injuries happened around midnight, yet he was brought to the hospital at around 3 am,” said Were. He further disputed claims that boda boda riders assaulted his son using a blunt object.

“The person who was with him said he had been hit on the head, but both the doctor and pathologist confirmed there was no head injury at all. The stab wounds caused his death,” he said.

Were disclosed that the man accompanying his son was not an NSSF colleague but a friend who runs a cyber café at Kisumu Huduma Centre. He said the man and another individual were interrogated by detectives before being released.

Hanington’s widow, Faniet Magalu, also questioned the man’s conduct, saying his statement contradicted medical findings.

“I suspected him from the beginning because he behaved suspiciously. He changed into my husband’s T-shirt before waking me up and saying we needed to go to hospital,” she said.

The killing has devastated the family, coming just months after another son was allegedly killed in Nairobi under unclear circumstances. Were has urged the DCI to fast-track investigations and bring those responsible to justice.