Dr. Joseph Ndung’u, the pathologist representing the family of the late Cyrus Girongo, has confirmed that Girongo died from extensive blunt force injuries consistent with a high-impact crash.
“The body had multiple injuries,” Dr. Ndung’u said. “There were two fractures involving the right hand, fractures of both lower limbs, and a crash injury to the chest with multiple ribs fractured.”
He said the chest injuries were catastrophic. “There was perforation of the heart with rupture of most of the major vessels that connect to the heart, resulting in massive bleeding into the chest cavity,” Dr. Ndung’u said.
According to Dr. Ndung’u, the abdomen also sustained severe trauma. “There was a crash injury to the abdomen with crushing of the liver and bleeding into the abdominal cavity,” he said. He added that the spinal cord was completely severed. “There was a transection of the spinal cord at the thoracic level.”
Dr. Ndung’u concluded that “the late Cyrus Girongo died as a result of crash injuries to the chest, abdomen, and spinal injuries due to blunt force trauma.”
Dr. Midia, who also participated in the post-mortem, confirmed the findings and emphasized that the internal injuries were far more severe than what could be seen externally. “What is observed outside may not tie with what is inside,” Dr. Midia said. “When you open the body, the injuries are quite severe and instant, and they are incompatible with life.”
Dr. Martin Wanyoike, the long-serving family physician who attended the examination, said the heart injuries alone were fatal. “The left ventricle of the heart was ruptured, and the major vessels connected to the heart were damaged,” Dr. Wanyoike said. “Those injuries are not compatible with life. Once that happened, survival would only have been a matter of minutes.”
Dr. Wanyoike added that the post-mortem was only one part of a wider inquiry. “This is an investigation that is ongoing. The post-mortem is just part of a wider process,” he said.
He said samples had been collected for further analysis. “We have taken samples for toxicological analysis, some to be examined by government chemists and others by an independent pathologist,” Dr. Wanyoike said. “DNA samples have also been taken.”
The doctors expressed condolences to the family and said the final conclusions would depend on the outcome of the full investigation
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