Gichugu IEBC man Geoffrey Gitobu died of natural causes: Autopsy
Gichugu Constituency returning officer Geoffrey Gitobu who collapsed and died on August 22, 2022. He is seen here at Kianyaga Boys High School tallying centre.
Pathologists have ruled out foul play in the sudden mysterious death of Gichugu Constituency returning officer Geoffrey Gitobu.
The Independent Electoral and Boundary Commission (IEBC) official, preliminary investigations showed, died of natural causes.
Briefing the media after a postmortem that lasted for over two hours at Nanyuki Cottage Hospital mortuary, three pathologists said the Gichugu Constituency Returning officer died from a clot in the pulmonary vein.
“We have established that the 58-year-old died from a blood clot. He was also anaemic,” said Dr Ayub Macharia who had been contracted by IEBC and the family.
Pathologist Dr Ayub Macharia briefing the media after he and two other colleagues conducted a postmortem on the body of IEBC official Geofrrey Gitobu.
Dr Macharia said according to the family of the deceased, their kin was not suffering from any known life threatening ailment such as hypertension or diabetes and that only his doctor can shed light on that.
Laikipia County Criminal Investigation Officer Onesmus Towett said the investigations were not yet complete and that they had taken some body tissues for further analysis.
“For now we can say death was natural. However we have taken body samples so that we can conduct further investigations to rule out foul play and that is when we shall declare the probe concluded,” said Mr Towett.
Gitobu collapsed on Monday in Nanyuki as he drove himself. He was rushed to Nanyuki Cottage Hospital but was pronounced dead before he could be attended to.
The cause of his death has been a subject of speculation in social media platforms following the death and abduction of other IEBC officials in recent past.
Laikipia Police Commander John Nyoike said the autopsy report should make citizens stop speculating and wait for the final report.
“We have come here to assure the public that it was a sudden death and not murder as some have been speculating,” said Mr Nyoike.
Other pathologists who took part in the postmortem included Dr Simon Amok who had been contacted by the Independent Medical Legal Unit (IMLU) and Government pathologist Dr Harrison Kimabati.
The family declined to speak to the media leaving the pathologists and police officers to do the media briefing.
