Kisumu — Senior police officers in Kisumu County Friday offered an apology over clashes which occurred during the burial of Ohangla musician Bernard Obonyo, popularly known as Abenny Jachiga, after mourners accused the police of unjustifiably hurrying the burial.
The officers led by Kisumu Central Police Division Chief Simon Katam visited the home situated in Chiga area in the outskirts of Kisumu city where they convey their condolences to the family and apologized over actions of the police during the aborted burial on Friday, June 12.
Police later ordered the burial of the musician at 1.51am.
“We found it right to visit this family after the tragedy that befallen them following the demise of this musician,” Katam said.
He was representing Kisumu County Police Commander Ranson Lolmodoni in the company of other senior police officers from Kisumu East.
Kisumu East Police Commanding Division Musa Musyimi apologized to the family following a clash between police and mourners who were mostly fans of the late musician.
Musyimi said the intention of the police officers was to ensure the safety of the mourners considering the COVID-19 pandemic.
“There are things that happened during the burial and for that went wrong I apologize on behalf of police officers,” he said.
He told the family that police officers face several challenges while on the line of duty and their actions should not be misconstrued to mean they were out to scuttle the burial.
Musyimi said the condemnation directed at the officers after the botched burial was in bad taste noting they only responded to maintain law and order.
Abenny Jachiga died on Thursday, June 11, in Kisumu and the hurried burial slated for Friday, a days after he died, drew the wrath of his supporters.
Police officers battled the mourners for the better part of the day in what culminated into the seizure the musician’s body which was later buried in the dead of the night.
The late-night burial was only witnessed by the brother to the deceased, Austin Omondi.
