Mulembe Times – Kisumu, Kenya
Retired police officer Mohammed Baa, linked to the 2017 killing of Baby Pendo, remains missing. Police told the court they’ve failed to trace him, leaving justice for Baby Pendo incomplete.
More than seven years after the tragic killing of Baby Samantha Pendo, a retired senior police officer linked to her death remains missing, raising new concerns about accountability in one of Kenya’s most heartbreaking cases of police brutality.
During a court session this week, the National Police Service (NPS) informed the court that Mohammed Baa, a retired officer and one of the key suspects named in the investigation, has never been arrested since the case began. Baa was among those named following a judicial inquest into the infant’s death, which occurred during a police operation to suppress protests in Kisumu after the disputed 2017 general election.
Despite efforts by security agents to locate him at his rural home in Wajir County, authorities told the court that Baa appears to have vanished without a trace.
“The homestead appeared deserted, with no visible signs of human movement,” officers reported, casting doubt on whether the suspect has been in the area at all in recent years.
A Case That Still Haunts the Nation
Baby Pendo was only six months old when she was struck on the head during a late-night police raid in the Nyalenda neighborhood of Kisumu. The operation was part of a broader security crackdown aimed at suppressing post-election protests that had erupted across the region.
Critically injured, Pendo was rushed to the hospital but later succumbed to head trauma, sparking an outpouring of grief and national outrage. Her death became a defining moment in Kenya’s conversation about police use of force and the lack of accountability for abuses.
In the months and years that followed, an official inquest found multiple officers culpable, including Baa, who was by then already retired. Despite this, he has never appeared in court to answer to the allegations.
Prosecution Hit by Absence
In court this week, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) confirmed that Baa’s name had been removed from the list of accused persons due to his continued absence and the inability to serve him with legal documents.
“In view of the report, the ODPP has reviewed the case and amended the information accordingly,” the court heard.
However, the specific details of these amendments have not been made public, and the defence has questioned the transparency of the process.
The ODPP’s decision to drop charges against Baa, even temporarily, has frustrated observers who view the case as a crucial test of Kenya’s commitment to police accountability and human rights justice.
A Shadow Over Justice
Baa’s continued absence remains a sore point for the family of Baby Pendo, who have waited years to see justice served. The child’s parents and the broader community in Kisumu have repeatedly called for the arrest of all individuals implicated in the inquest, regardless of their rank or retirement status.
“How can someone just disappear for years in this country without a trace?” asked a local human rights advocate in Kisumu. “If the government is serious about justice, it must show that no one is above the law — not even retired officers.”
The case of Baby Pendo has become symbolic of Kenya’s long struggle with police impunity, particularly during politically volatile periods. The failure to bring all suspects to court, including Baa, continues to cast a shadow over the credibility of the justice process.
As the judicial process grinds forward with remaining suspects, the absence of Mohammed Baa leaves a critical gap in the pursuit of truth and accountability in Baby Pendo’s murder. Until he is located and brought before the court, one of the darkest chapters in Kenya’s post-election violence remains painfully incomplete.
