Two administrative police officers, Wilson Irungu and George Otieno Nyaoke have been arrested and will be charged with murder over the death of a man in a police cell, the Independent Policing Oversight Authority has said.
According to a statement by IPOA, the two have a case to answer after David Wachira Kamauwas who was arrested in April 2019 by officers from Malewa AP Camp for allegedly stealing livestock was found dead in his cell.
The report by IPOA indicates that the deceased suffered grievous injuries that proved fatal thus prompting investigations.
Read: DPP Orders IPOA To Expedite Probe Into Ruthless Assault Of MCA Patriciah Musyimi
“Investigations established that the deceased suffered grievous injuries while in police custody that proved fatal. He was pronounced dead at JM Kariuki Referral hospital in Olkalou. On conclusion of the investigations, IPOA made recommendations to the ODPP to charge two suspect officers with murder. On August 11, 2020, the ODPP concurred with IPOA recommendations,” IPOA Chairperson Anne Makori said.
The case of David Wachira is just one of the many where prisoners have been reported dead under mysterious circumstances while in police custody.
In yet another instance in March, 49-year-old Josphat Mbugua Kinoti died shortly after being checked in at Meru Level 5 hospital.
Read Also: 15 Kenyans Killed By Police, 31 Others Injured In Curfew Enforcement – IPOA
He had been arrested as a suspect of defilement and was in police custody before turning up ill and dying while receiving treatment.
Police brutality has been on the rise in the country more so amid the COVID-19 pandemic where relevant authorities were reinforcing curfew measures. Consequently, several people were brutalized and others succumbed due to injuries inflicted on them.
In a report released in June, 15 people were reportedly killed by police and 31 others left with serious injuries as the authorities implemented government measures aimed at containing the spread of the novel Coronavirus.
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