Blast victim’s phone helped trace family

Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho consoles Serena Wakesho Katana who lost her sister Esmily Wali Katana during the Saturday night blast in Mombasa on 4th May 2014. PHOTO/KEVEIN ODIT 

In Summary

• This became the link between the Mwembe Tayari blast victim and her family who were traced through the phone.
• Narrating this at a ward in the Coast Provincial General Hospital, Ms Serena Katana told the Nation how a “strange” voice talked to her nephew who later passed the message to her.

By NATION TEAM
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A ringing mobile phone beside the body of a woman killed in the Mombasa bus attack caught the ears of a Good Samaritan who picked it, but before he could answer, it stopped ringing.

This became the link between the Mwembe Tayari blast victim and her family who were traced through the phone.

Narrating this at a ward in the Coast Provincial General Hospital, Ms Serena Katana told the Nation how a “strange” voice talked to her nephew who later passed the message to her.

“We knew my sister Emily Wale had gone shopping for her daughter in town for her back-to-school requirements,” she said as tears flowed down her face.

According to Ms Katana, her sister’s phone had rang several times before attracting the attention of the Good Samaritan.

On scrolling the phone book, the man managed to get a contact that he used to reach the family.

Apart from Emily, others who perished in the explosion are two conductors, Mr Jamila Mbarak Awadh and Mr Suleiman Mohamed.

Through Governor Hassan Joho’s efforts, the county government started arrangements for the  burial of the two conductors. They were interred yesterday at Kikowani Muslim Cemetery