The family of Julia Wangui, a 21-year-old woman who died while in custody in Nanyuki earlier this month, has dismissed the findings of a post-mortem report that attributed her death to natural causes, insisting it was part of a cover-up to shield State officers from accountability.

Addressing journalists at the Nanyuki Cottage Hospital mortuary after a second autopsy was conducted o Monday, family spokesperson Susan Rienye said the report, which concluded that Wangui died from a ruptured blood vessel in the brain, lacked credibility and transparency.

She accused the team of pathologists, including the one hired by the family, of colluding with police and prison officers to defeat justice.

“When we hired the pathologist and made a down payment of Sh50,000, she never disclosed to us that she works for the government. We only found out after the first post-mortem,” said Rienye.

The first post-mortem was conducted at the same facility two weeks ago but was declared inconclusive. At the time, all three pathologists involved said they needed more time to conclude investigations.

Lead pathologist Peter Ndegwa had reported that the preliminary results showed bleeding in the brain but said they had not linked it to any head trauma.

He had also pointed out irregularities in the lungs, pancreas, and liver and said further toxicology tests were required, along with a medical report from the doctors who had operated on her.

Tensions escalated on Monday during the second autopsy briefing after Ndegwa and his team were confronted by agitated family members who accused them of bias and manipulating the findings to protect the authorities.

The confrontation forced Dr Ndegwa to leave the hospital premises without giving a detailed media briefing.

Before his departure, he told Nation: “We have established that the bleeding in the brain was not caused by trauma to the head. It resulted from a rupture of a blood vessel.”

The family's legal team, along with representatives from the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), accused the medical team of concealing critical information.

They claimed the head surgery report was withheld and only shared with officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), fuelling suspicion of a deliberate attempt to clear police and prison officials of any wrongdoing.

“We will demand access to the medical report, and if the hospital fails to cooperate, we may seek court orders. As LSK, we will stand with the family to ensure justice is served,” said lawyer Kimaru Kibuchi.

Family advocate Njanja Maina added that they were reviewing their options, including the possibility of requesting a third post-mortem examination.

Wangui, the daughter of Nurukuma Chief Martin Kariuki, was arrested on July 7 during Saba Saba Day commemorations in Likii Estate, Nanyuki, where over 100 youth were protesting. She was booked at the Nanyuki Police Station and appeared in court the next day.

Although she was granted a Sh50,000 cash bail, she remained in custody after failing to raise the amount and was remanded at the Nanyuki GK Prison.

While in prison, she reportedly collapsed and was first taken to the Nanyuki Teaching and Referral Hospital before being transferred to Nanyuki Cottage Hospital, where she later died.

The family continues to demand answers and accountability, accusing State officers of failing in their duty of care and orchestrating a cover-up.