Sister to John Ogutu, the Kenyan teacher said to have been killed in Tanzania during the post-election violence, has spoken, calling on the Kenyan government to assist in repatriating the deceased's body.
Speaking on Tuesday, November 4, during an interview with journalists, John's sister recounted her last conversation with the deceased, whom she described as very loving.
John's elder sister revealed that Ogutu had worked as a teacher in Tanzania for almost eight years before his sudden death at the hands of people believed to be law enforcers.
According to her, the last time she had a phone conversation with John was on September 22, this year, when the late teacher called to wish her a happy birthday.
"My brother has been in Tanzania for almost eight years. The last time I talked to him was on September 22, when he was wishing me my birthday," the sister narrated.
"He is the only family member who remembered my birthday. I told him that I am growing old and I am heading to the grave. I told him that he's the one to take over the leadership of the family, and he just laughed," she recalled.
She went ahead to describe her brother as a calm, humble and loving individual who rarely engaged in conflict or argued with his elders.
"He never spoke too much when adults were around, and he would never argue with anyone. Even when there were issues, he would remind me that I am older than him," said John's sister.
She further confirmed that John was killed in the Gaba area of Ubungo, Dar es Salaam, with his body currently lying at Mwananyamala mortuary in Tanzania.
In the interview conducted at the deceased's native home in Siaya, John's sister called on President William Ruto's administration to intervene and help bring Ogutu's remains to Kenya.
While the circumstances leading to his murder remain unclear, Ogutu's family has called for investigations and justice for their kin, who they say carried the family's hopes.
John is among the hundreds of people killed during the post-election violence in Tanzania, with the country's opposition calling on the United Nations to probe what they labelled as a massacre by President Samia Suluhu's regime.
Meanwhile, the UN Human Rights Commission revealed that more than ten people were killed in the recent violence in Tanzania, with hundreds left nursing injuries.
CHADEMA has said at least 500 people were killed in the rampage that started on Wednesday, October 29, as Tanzania headed to the polls.
