Police have explained how a suspect identified as Antony Ochieng died after he had been arrested in Githurai area, Kasarani.
This comes amid calls for an investigation into the death of Ochieng following allegations that police officers arrested him before his death.
The allegations, circulated by individuals demanding justice for Ochieng, claim that officers attached to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Headquarters and Kasarani Police Station arrested him before he died in unclear circumstances.
Those making the allegations further claim that authorities falsely reported that Ochieng died in a road accident.
They are demanding the immediate arrest and prosecution of the officers allegedly responsible for his death, as well as an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Nairobi Regional Police Commander Issa Mohamed said Ochieng died out of an accident he had been involved in.
He said Ochieng and an accomplice in custody had been escaping in a Mazda car after detecting police were following them.
This followed reports of stealing in the area on September 22. The speeding car crashed leaving Ochieng with serious injuries. Another man who was on board managed to escape, Mohamud said.
“The man was arrested and taken to hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. I don’t think there was anyone who beat him as claimed,” he said.
He urged for patience and investigations to be conducted into the incident.
Mohamud said a planned autopsy will explain the cause of the death and give the way forward.
According to police, the incident unfolded on Sunday, at around 8:30pm in the Sonic area when alert patrol officers intercepted a Mazda CX-5, registration number KDZ 099B, carrying five male occupants.
The suspects were allegedly caught red-handed offloading suspected stolen electronics at a second-hand shop owned by a trader known only as “Pau.”
Upon noticing the law enforcement officers, the suspects scrambled back into the getaway car and sped off, triggering a high stakes chase through the neighborhood.
The flight from the law took a tragic turn later when Ochieng, lost control of the speeding vehicle.
The car violently struck an electric pole before plunging into a deep ditch, leaving the vehicle extensively damaged.
While two of the accomplices managed to slip away and escape on foot in the ensuing chaos, Otieno sustained severe injuries during the crash.
He was taken to Mama Lucy Hospital, where medical personnel pronounced him dead on arrival.
A thorough search conducted by Crime Scene Investigations (CSI) personnel at both the crash site and “Pau’s” electronics shop unearthed a staggering haul of illicit goods.
Inside the vehicle and the retail outlet, detectives recovered 28 television sets, five home theatre systems, laptops, mobile phones, clothing, shoes, and a gas cylinder.
Crucially, officers also recovered a dagger and a crowbar, pointing to the gang’s involvement in violent house breakings.
Strikingly, investigators have already traced some of the recovered electronics back to recent crimes reported in the Central Region, indicating a wide-reaching theft network.
The recovered exhibits are currently secured at the Kasarani Police Station, while the wreckage of the Mazda CX-5 remains in the station yard as a manhunt for the escaped suspects and the elusive shop owner continues.
Ochieng’s friends said the circumstances of Ochieng’s death should be established through a transparent investigation and called for accountability if the allegations are substantiated.
The calls come amid broader concerns over alleged police misconduct and accountability in cases involving deaths in custody or following police contact.
The car that Ochieng and the other occupant were in was badly damaged after the accident.
It was later towed to a local police station pending investigations.
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