An autopsy conducted on Tuesday at Chiromo Funeral Parlour in Nairobi confirmed that 26-year-old Kenyan police officer Samuel Kaetuai, who was killed in Haiti, died from a single gunshot wound to the head.

The pathologist stated that Kaetuai succumbed due to excessive bleeding caused by the gunshot wound that penetrated his head.

Authorities have increased efforts to support his family after his body was repatriated to Kenya on Monday evening, following a two-week wait. His return brought relief to his grieving relatives, who had been waiting to receive him.

His remains arrived at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), where a contingent of police officers gathered to receive him.

Among those present were Deputy Inspector General of Police Gilbert Masengeli, Kaetuai’s father, Salaash Kaetuai, and his wife.

While burial arrangements are still ongoing, his body will remain at Chiromo mortuary until preparations are complete.

Kaetuai was shot two weeks ago during a police operation in the Western Artibonite region, 92 kilometers north of Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince. Kenyan officers had been deployed to the area to help suppress gang violence.

Speaking on February 24, Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission Commander Godfrey Otunge said that after Kaetuai was shot, he was airlifted to a hospital in Haiti, where he later succumbed.

Last week, Inspector General of the National Police Service Douglas Kanja and other senior officers visited Kaetuai’s family in Naserian Village, Kajiado County, to offer their condolences.

Meanwhile, the MSS mission, led by Kenyan forces since June 2024, continues operations in Haiti to combat violent gangs that have destabilized the country. Despite challenges, including inadequate equipment, Kaetuai’s death marks the first casualty among the Kenyan contingent in the mission.

The National Treasury has allocated an additional Sh6.3 billion to support Kenya’s security mission in Haiti and improve investigative systems at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), according to a new supplementary budget report.

The report shows that the total budget for the National Police Service in the current financial year ending June 2025 has increased from Sh108.68 billion to Sh114.97 billion.

“The approved estimates have been revised... reflecting a net increase of Sh6.3 billion on account of the multi-national security support mission to Haiti, enhanced security operations, and maintenance and upgrade of systems under the Directorate of Criminal Investigations,” the Treasury stated.

Kenya deployed police officers to Haiti in June 2024 to help restore order in the country, where criminal gangs have taken over large parts of the capital, Port-au-Prince, and other rural areas.

The Kenyan-led MSS Mission has reclaimed some areas from the armed groups, but operations have faced challenges, with recent clashes leading to more violence.