Ferry officials, police summoned over missing CCTV in 2019 ocean tragedy
The summons followed a request by Principal Prosecution Counsel Alex Ndiema, who questioned the chain of custody of the footage.
The Mombasa Chief Magistrate’s Court has ordered top Kenya Ferry Services (KFS) officials and police officers to appear in court over questions surrounding missing CCTV footage tied to the 2019 Likoni ferry tragedy.
Chief Magistrate Alex Ithuku summoned KFS Managing Director Bakari Ngowa, Likoni Sub-County DCI boss, and Corporal Moses Mahiuha to clarify the handling of key video evidence in the inquest into the deaths of Mariam Kighenda and her four-year-old daughter, Amanda Mutheu, whose vehicle plunged into the Indian Ocean on December 20, 2019.
The summons followed a request by Principal Prosecution Counsel Alex Ndiema, who questioned the chain of custody of the footage after it emerged that the original investigating officer handed it to KFS management instead of submitting it formally as evidence.
During Thursday’s proceedings, the current investigating officer Bob Otieno presented a short CCTV clip, but the court found it incomplete and lacking critical moments leading to the tragedy.
The partial video only showed the vehicle falling into the channel, prompting Hon. Ithuku to question the legality and integrity of how the evidence was managed.
The three officials are now required to appear in court on July 24, 2025, to explain the discrepancies and the whereabouts of the full footage.
The magistrate expressed concern that the missing footage could compromise the integrity of the inquest and potentially deny justice to the victims’ family.
He emphasized that all parties involved in the initial stages of the investigation must account for how the crucial evidence was handled, warning that tampering or negligence would not be taken lightly.
This development comes nearly six years after the tragedy, which sparked nationwide outrage and raised serious questions about safety measures at the Likoni ferry crossing.
Despite multiple inquiries and public pledges for accountability, the full truth behind the mishap and the missing evidence remains elusive making the upcoming court appearance by the officials a pivotal moment in the ongoing quest for justice.
