Share this
An undated photo of the late lawyer Sammy Anyanzwa, who was based in Mombasa County. PHOTO | COURTESY
Mombasa lawyer Sammy Anyanzwa dies by suicide
Mombasa-based lawyer Sammy Anyanzwa died by suicide on Wednesday, police have said.
Mombasa Urban Police Commander Eliud Monari said Mr Anyanzwa jumped from a window on the eighth floor of the Uhuru na Kazi building, which has government offices.
“It is unclear why he threw himself off the building but we have launched investigations” Mr Monari told the Nation on phone.
He said First Aid was administered but that the lawyer succumbed to his injuries. Reports indicated that he was 69 years old.
MYSTERY FILE
A police source told the Nation that Mr Anyanzwa visited the Ministry of Lands’ offices before proceeding to the eighth floor.
The source said the senior advocate checked a file there and then excused himself to “make a call”.
“He was first seen on the seventh floor, where a staff member asked him whether he wanted any assistance as he had been seen looking down the building from the window,” said the person who works at one of the offices at Uhuru na Kazi.
He said Mr Anyanzwa said he was “okay” and that he only needed to make the call.
An official from the Lands Ministry claimed the lawyer was displeased by what he saw in the file he checked.
An officer from the Directorate of Criminal Investigation, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said “It is still unclear what the file contained but we are investigating.”
KEY CASE
Mr Anyanzwa recently represented relatives of victims of the Mtongwe ferry tragedy in a compensation case.
Mv Mtongwe capsized in 1994 with more than 400 passengers on board. At least 270 of them died.
The lawyer’s body was taken to the Pandya Memorial Hospital mortuary.
