Police and officials from the Independent Policing Oversight Authority opened an investigations following the death of a suspect in a police cell in Kipipiri, Nyandarua County.
The incident happened on June 23 in the morning at the Turasha Police Station cells and involved Ruigi Ndubi, 44.
He had been arrested for the offence of obstructing police officers while in performance of duty and placed in custody. Police claimed he appeared drunk when he was arrested.
The police officer on duty visited the cell at 12;46 pm and found the suspect had died by suicide inside the cell by hanging himself using his shirt that was tied to the padlock of the inner door.
The scene was documented and IPOA alerted for formal probe. An autopsy is planned on the body to tell how the man died.
This is the latest such incident to happen in a police cell amid calls on authorities to always take care of suspects in their custody.
On June 25, a 35-year-old fisherman died by suicide in a police holding cell at Kipasi Police Post in Suba North Constituency, Homabay County.
The incident came hours after he was arrested over allegations of bestiality, police said. The deceased, identified as Calvince Omondi Onditi, was apprehended by the area chief at around 3 a.m. on June 15 in a homestead near Ndhuru Trading Centre.
He was later handed over to police at Kipasi for further processing. The victim was discovered hanging from the roof of the cell using a pair of trousers.
The incident came days after police and officials IPOA opened investigations into a suicide incident that happened at the Katito police cells, Kisumu County.
Police at the station said they were alerted about commotion that came from the cell on June 13 at about 10 am. It was then they discovered that a suspect had hanged himself on the grills of the cells.
The deceased identified as Calvin Omondi Owuor had been brought there over claims of stock theft. He had used his vest to hang himself on the grill. The vest was tied around his neck, police said.
It also came days after another suspect died by suicide at the Ukwala police cells, Siaya County. The incident happened on June 10 in the morning.
The body of Joseph Otieno Oduor alias Sande, 26 was found hanging in the toilet. He had been arrested following the issuance of a warrant by a court in the area.
He had been accused of defilement. Police said he hanged himself in a toilet at the cells using his own shirt. The incidents come in the wake of the death of teacher Albert Ojwang at the Central police station cells in Nairobi.
An autopsy conducted on the body ruled out the possibility the deceased had self-inflicted injuries. Three police officers, including the Officer Commanding Station Samson Talaam and three civilians have been charged with murder of Ojwang.
Such cases where suspects die in police custody are usually handled by IPOA
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