Girl in ICU after being hit by runaway police vehicle

A teenage girl is fighting for her life at the Kenyatta National Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit after she was allegedly knocked down by a police vehicle in Mandera.

Zainab Ahmed Billow, 16, is said to have been herding her parent’s goats on the morning of September 9, 2014 at Garre Sub-Location in Lafey District when a speeding Administration Police vehicle knocked her.

According to her uncle, Abey Billow, the driver of the police vehicle, a Land Cruiser with registration number GK B182A, who was only identified as Corporal Njoroge did not stop after the accident.

“Two people who were at the scene said after knocking the child, the driver of the vehicle slowed down, looked behind through the window and sped off towards Elwak,” Mr Billow, who has been taking care of Zainab since the accident said.

WITNESSED ACCIDENT

Two people who said they witnessed the incident took the vehicle’s registration number and proceeded to a nearby roadblock where they said they confirmed the details of the vehicle from the attendant.

“Residents who gathered at the scene took Zainab to the Wargadud Police Station, where they were given a police vehicle to take her to the Mandera District Hospital,” Mr Billow said.

He claimed that no police officer visited the scene of the accident to as is always the case when an accident happens.

Zainab stayed at the Mandera District Hospital for two days before being transferred to the Nairobi West Hospital via a chartered plane.

“Our relatives who do business in Nairobi paid Sh600,000 for the plane to airlift her,” he said, adding that Zainab’s condition has not improved.

For 13 days, Zainab was being treated at the Nairobi Hospital’s ICU, before her uncle and other relatives requested for a transfer to the Kenyatta National Hospital due to a rising hospital bill.

SEVERE INJURIES

A referral letter seen by Nation.co.ke stated that she had suffered a severe head injury. She was being treated for brain oedema, aspiratory pneumonia and cuts and bruises sustained on her body. She had also suffered a broken cheekbone.

“We paid a total of Sh905,000 at the Nairobi Hospital and a deposit of Sh100,000 at the Kenyatta National Hospital.

“All that money we got through a fundraising in Nairobi. Police have not helped us in any way,” he said, showing receipts of the payments.

The first born in a family of six children is now dependent on medical equipment as her condition does not seem to be improving.

Her family says despite the case having been reported at the Mandera Police Station through OB number 25/09/09/2014, the National Police Service has not offered any help to them.

Administration Police Spokesman, Masoud Mwinyi confirmed that the police received a report concerning the incident and that he was yet to get a full report from the Mandera County Commander.

“We are yet to know the circumstances under which the girl was knocked. From there we will be able to know our next course of action” Mr Mwinyi said.