Harry Roy Veevers

Veevers died unexpectedly on 14 February 2013 at the age of 64 in Mombasa.^[1][3] At first it was thought that he had died of heart attack and a stroke, as he was buried the next day according to Islamic rites.^[3] The hasty burial caused tension within his family as his sons said they had no chance to see his body. This led to allegations that he was poisoned.^[4]

Due to concerns surrounding the death and burial, Veevers' two sons addressed the court with a petition to exhume their fathers' body. An autopsy was then performed in both Kenya and the United Kingdom, with unclear results. Several reports showed traces of the toxic pesticide cyhalothrin, while others showed no evidence at all.^[5][6]

The investigation of Veevers' death that began in 2013 went on for 11 years, during which 16 witnesses testified. Among them were British and Kenyan forensic experts.^[2] In 2024, a Mombasa magistrate ruled that the cause of death could not be determined. The court cited advanced decomposition of the body, contradictions in forensic findings, and lapses in the chain of custody of evidence.^[7]

Despite the 2024 magistrate court ruling, by 2025 Veevers' body was still in the mortuary of the Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital, as no last will and testament was ever found stating Veevers' burial wishes. There continued to be a dispute where he should be buried, in the UK as his sons wanted, or in Kenya as his wife and daughters wanted. Another issue in the dispute was his inheritance which was still pending in another court.^[1][8]

• List of unsolved deaths