• She said one of the officers later took her to the police cell where she found her husband lying motionless on the floor and foam oozing out of his mouth.
• Coast regional head of DCI Ali Bule on Wednesday said they are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of the man.
Image: The Star
A family in Chasimba village in Kilifi is calling for investigations after a relative died in unclear circumstances at Chasimba police cell.
It is alleged that Isaack Ngombo Lewa, 42, used ‘a boxer’ to commit suicide inside the police cell on Monday, but the family suspects foul play claiming the body had injuries.
Lewa was arrested on December 31 over alleged attempted arson in which he was accused of trying to torch a drinking den in Chasimba village.
When journalists visited the family, they were still trying to come to terms with Lewa's death.
Widow Pauline Okeyo said she visited the police station to give her husband food but the officers on duty laughed at her when she asked them to call him so that she can give him food.
She said one of the officers later took her to the police cell where she found her husband lying motionless on the floor and foam oozing out of his mouth.
Okeyo said when she tried to lift him up, she found a boxer tied around his neck and was unresponsive.
“I pleaded with the officers to take my husband to hospital in vain. He had some foam in his mouth and was lying with his hand bent. Upon turning him, I found some injuries on his back,” Okeyo said.
She appealed to state agencies and human rights organisations to investigate the matter so the family can get justice.
Okeyo said she had been left behind with four children and has no job.
She said she relies on odd jobs to take care of her family.
Human rights organisations led by Haki Africa and Pwani Social Justice visited the family to try and find out exactly what transpired. They termed the death shocking for a person to commit suicide using a boxer.
A police report seen by journalists says Lewa committed suicide. It says the subcounty criminal investigations officer Kilifi North, OCS and other officers visited the cell and found Lewa lying on the floor close to the door of the cells with his boxer nearby.
“It was established that the deceased’s wife Pauline Akinyi Okeyo had brought food for her husband and when the cell was opened the deceased was found lying close to the cell door with his boxer tied to the neck. They tried untying the boxer from the neck but realised his body was motionless,” the report said.
Coast regional head of DCI Ali Bule on Wednesday said they are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of the man.
He said preliminary reports indicate Lewa died in circumstances that need more attention.
“Experts are looking into this issue. Give us time. More parties are joining for justice to be done,” he said.
Officials from Independent Policing Oversight Authority too said they had sent a representative to pursue the issue.
Lewa Tinga, the deceased’s father, said his son was arrested for attempted arson.
Simon Lewa, an uncle, said the death was shrouded in mystery. He said his nephew was a tout at Chasimba matatu stage and urged the authorities to investigate the death.
Mathias Shipeta from Haki Africa said they were shocked to hear that a person committed suicide using a boxer.
Shipeta urged the DCI, IPOA and all investigating bodies to unravel the mystery so the family will know what caused the death.
Simon Kaingu from Pwani Social Justice said it is sad that a life was lost in police custody under unclear circumstances.
Lewa's body was taken to Kilifi County Hospital mortuary awaiting a postmortem report.