NAIROBI — Nearly eight years after the killing of six-month-old Samantha Pendo during a police crackdown in Kisumu, the man accused of ordering the operation has vanished.
On Monday, a senior police official told a Nairobi court that authorities have been unable to locate retired police officer Mohamed Baa Amin — the 11th accused in a case that has come to symbolise the brutality of Kenya’s post-election violence.
“We visited his home in Wajir and other locations tied to him,” said Chief Inspector Peter Kanagi. “The houses were locked. No sign of anyone living there.”
Kanagi, appearing on behalf of the Inspector General of Police and the National Police Service, was presenting a report on the force’s efforts to trace Mr Baa. He said police had circulated alerts to all stations and appealed to the public for information, but no credible leads had come in.
The court was told that Interpol had also been notified, amid speculation that Mr Baa may have crossed into neighbouring Somalia.
The court appearance comes as Kenya moves closer to prosecuting a group of high-ranking officers accused of overseeing a deadly security operation in Kisumu’s Nyalenda slum in 2017. The crackdown, carried out at the height of protests following a disputed election, left dozens dead and many more injured. Among them was Baby Pendo, who died from head injuries after police stormed her family’s home.
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) recommended murder charges in 2022 against 12 officers, including Mr Baa, who was the regional police commander at the time.
On Monday, State Counsel Mark Barasa told Justice Margaret Muigai that prosecutors were ready to proceed against the remaining 11 suspects.
“In light of Mr Baa’s disappearance, the charges have been amended,” said Barasa, adding that the revised charge sheet was filed on 2 May 2025.
The accused, including senior officers Linah Kogey, Mohamed Guyo, and Titus Mutune Yoma, requested more time to review the new charges. The court allowed them one hour to consult their lawyers.
They now face more than 40 charges, ranging from murder and torture to rape, under the International Crimes Act and the Rome Statute. The prosecution argues that the officers are culpable under the doctrine of command responsibility, a principle that holds senior officials liable for crimes committed by their subordinates.
The slow progress of the Baby Pendo case has drawn public anger and criticism from human rights groups. Many see it as a test of Kenya’s ability to hold its security forces accountable.
“Pendo’s death was not an accident,” said a Kisumu-based human rights advocate, who asked not to be named for safety reasons. “Someone gave the order. Someone must answer for it.”
The trial is expected to draw close national attention. But with Mr Baa still missing, a central figure in the case remains absent — and justice for Baby Pendo, once again, feels incomplete.
