A family in Kipipiri, Nyandarua County, is in mourning after their kin died while in police custody.
The deceased, 44-year-old Ruigi Ndubi, allegedly committed suicide at the Turasha Police Station cells on Monday, June 23.
The suspect had been arrested for obstructing police officers performing their duty and was placed in custody.
According to the police, Ndubi appeared drunk when he was arrested and placed in a cell.
During a routine check at 12:46 P.M., a police officer discovered that the suspect was dead inside the cell.
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The police claimed that Ndubi hanged himself using his shirt, which was tied to the padlock of the inner door.
“One suspect, namely Ruigi Ndubi, aged about 44 years, who had been arrested by police officers and placed in custody for the offence of obstructing police officers while in performance of duty and placed in custody while appearing drunk.
“The officer on duty visited the cell at 1246 hrs and found the suspect having committed suicide inside the cell by hanging himself using his shirt tied to the padlock of the inner door,” the police report read in part.
However, the deceased’s family has challenged the official police account, pointing to suspicious circumstances surrounding his death.
This comes days after a man identified as Calvince Omondi Onditi mysteriously died in a police cell in Homa Bay County.
The deceased was also alleged to have committed suicide inside the police cell.
On Friday, June 13, another man allegedly died after committing suicide while in police custody at Katito Police Station in Kisumu County.
The suspect had been arrested by the area chief for the offence of stock theft and brought to the station. However, hours later, the man was found hanging from the cell door grill using a vest.
Voi-based teacher Albert Ojwang also died under mysterious circumstances while in police custody at Central Police Station in Nairobi.
The National Police Service (NPS) had initially claimed that the teacher died after allegedly banging his head against a wall.
However, an autopsy conducted by Pathologist Bernard Midia revealed Ojwang died as a result of a head injury and neck compressions.
