The family of 17-year-old Ian Opango is living through unimaginable pain after learning that their son’s body had been at Rongai Police Station even as they desperately searched for him.
According to relatives, Ian went missing on June 25 during the anti-government protests that rocked different parts of the country. His father, Jackson Opango, immediately began searching for him when he failed to return home that evening. The search led him to Rongai Police Station where he hoped to find information about his son.
Mr. Opango explained that police officers at the station repeatedly advised him to file a missing person’s report. What they did not reveal was that Ian’s body had already been taken to the station.
For days, the family lived in agony, moving from one police post to another, visiting hospitals, and even checking mortuaries in the hope of finding Ian alive. It was only later that they discovered the shocking truth — the very station they had turned to for help had his body all along.
The revelation has left the family devastated and angry. Relatives say the handling of the matter shows insensitivity and raises questions about police conduct during and after the protests.
Local leaders and human rights groups have condemned the incident, accusing authorities of withholding information from grieving families. They argue that the case reflects a wider problem in how young people who take part in demonstrations are treated.
“We feel betrayed. Instead of being told the truth, we were sent away to write reports while our son lay lifeless in their custody,” a tearful Mr. Opango said.
The circumstances under which Ian died remain unclear, with questions lingering on whether he was killed during the protests or while in police hands. The family is now calling for justice and demanding an independent investigation into his death.
As the country continues to grapple with rising tensions over protests, Ian’s story has become another painful reminder of the high cost many families are paying. For the Opango family, the search for answers has just begun, even as they prepare to bury their son.
By Kenyans