A 30-year-old police officer attached to the Presidential Escort Unit (PEU) was found dead in an apparent act of self-harm at his residential quarters in Juja Sub-County, Kiambu County, early Wednesday morning.
The deceased was identified as Police Constable Dennis Kibet Cheruiyot, whose body was discovered inside his residence within the PEU residential lines.
He is believed to have shot himself fatally.
Senior police commanders, including the PEU Deputy Commandant, the Juja Sub-County Police Commander, and crime scene investigators from Juja, responded to the incident and processed the scene.
Preliminary investigations indicate that a single gunshot was fired.
Police officers recovered the deceased’s service firearm at the scene.
Detectives also recovered a three-page handwritten note from a table inside the house. According to preliminary findings, the note outlined the officer’s personal struggles and contained his final wishes. Authorities have not disclosed its contents as investigations continue.
Forensic officers documented and processed the scene before the body was removed to the Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital (KUTRRH) mortuary, where it is awaiting a post-mortem examination.
Police have launched investigations into the circumstances surrounding the officer’s death, although preliminary findings point to an apparent case of self-harm.
This is the latest such incident to happen and affecting police officers.
On Tuesday, a female police officer shot herself dead in a suicide mission at work in Kisii.
The deceased, identified as Corporal Marjorie Bosibori, 42, a police signaller attached to the sub-county radio room, was discovered at about 8.00am inside the radio room office by a fellow officer who had gone to open the facility.
Police said the officer was found seated and unresponsive, with a gunshot wound to the chest and blood oozing from the injury.
An AK-47 rifle was lying beside her body.
Police officers who visited the scene established that the officer had allegedly locked herself inside the office before fatally shooting herself using the rifle that had been issued to her for security duties.
According to preliminary investigations, Corporal Bosibori had collected the AK-47 rifle from the Kisii Central Police Station armoury at about 6.00pm on Monday before proceeding to provide security at Quickmart Supermarket in Kisii Town.
Crime scene investigators recovered the AK-47 rifle, one spent 7.62×39mm cartridge, a magazine loaded with 29 rounds of ammunition, the office padlock key, assorted medical drugs and three mobile phones.
Police said no suicide note was recovered during a search of her clothing.
She was still dressed in full police jungle uniform when her body was found.
The body was moved to the Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital mortuary, where a post-mortem examination will be conducted as investigations continue.
The motive behind the suspected suicide has not yet been established.
Suicide has been on the rise in the service amid efforts to contain the trend.
Authorities say police are exposed to many forms of trauma that lead some to suicide in a worrying trend.
As part of efforts to address the trend, police authorities have launched counselling services, and the National Police Service Commission has established a unit and staffed it to attend to their demanding situation. The counselling unit, among other things, evaluates, designs and leads an outreach programme that helps prevent mental health and substance abuse.
Officials say police are generally on the receiving end of all community problems. They are expected to maintain law and order in very difficult situations, besides putting their lives at risk. Over the years, a spike in deaths in the service has been linked to trauma.
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