A family vacation for an Australian family ended in disarray when their four year old boy drowned at the Nyali Reef Hotel’s swimming pool in Mombasa.
The family originally from South Sudan was on vacation in Mombasa when the incident happened on Christmas Eve.
The boy was discovered drowned at midnight as the other revelers enjoyed their time at the facility.
A family spokesman said they are devastated. He added the hotel doesn’t want to take responsibility for the tragedy.
“We have cut short the vacation after the incident and flown the body to Nairobi pending a decision where he will be buried.”
“The problem is it seems even police here are not helping and they are compromised,” said a spokesman who asked not to be named.
A police officer at Nyali Police said they are investigating the matter and they have recorded statements from staff who were present.
They said the family had complained of negligence on the side of the hotel.
A concerned whistleblower following up on the matter was shocked to hear that the family was not interested in further pursuing the matter.
Lawyer Okumu Magolo who said he was representing the family told those seeking clarification that the matter has been handled and therefore no need for responding to the same.
He arrogantly told those pursuing the matter that he will report them to the police.
“Which family member gave you my number? I will report you to the police,” he said.
The hotel manager Jarso Halake dismissed the whole incident, saying that the ‘allegations’ were neither here nor there and that the issue was sorted.
“We have talked and solved the matter with all concerned parties,” he said and promised that he would call back minutes later but failed to do so.
A whistleblower said he will to write to the Inspector General of Police, Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) and Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) over the matter.
He has also promised to involve the DCI to unmask the circumstances under which death of a child at a hotel facility can be ‘sorted’ without following due process.
The family of the child is said to have sought help from a private hospital before deciding to fly the body back home in disappointment.
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