Police are investigating an incident in which a suspect allegedly died by suicide at the Kawangware police post in Nairobi.
The deceased, identified as Jack Matoke, 35, was brought to the station by locals on allegations of stealing a motorcycle.
The matter was originally reported on September 10 at Muthangari police station. Matoke was booked at about 7:35pm on Thursday pending transfer to Muthangari.
More than an hour later, officers heard a strange noise and found Matoke alone in a cell, hanging from a piece of cloth tied to the cell door. He was rushed to hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival.
Family members, however, dispute the police account. Elphas Amakobe, a relative, said Jack’s clothes were intact and that the item allegedly used for hanging was missing.
Human rights activist Hussein Khalid of Vocal Africa also questioned the official narrative, calling for a thorough independent investigation and postmortem.
“This is another death in custody. There are too many deaths in custody in Kenya. In the last few months, we have kept receiving reports of deaths in custody every other week,” he said.
The Independent Policing Oversight Authority has joined the investigation.
Jack leaves behind a two-year-old daughter.
Elsewhere, police are investigating a raid at Gachirago Coffee Factory in Kaweru, Muranga county, where a gang of about 15 thieves stole more than 6,000 kilos of dry coffee in the early hours of Wednesday.
Guards on duty were tied and several
items, including three packaging sisal sacks, a pen knife and a roll of sisal
string, were recovered at the scene. The guards sustained minor injuries.
In Dede, Awendo, Migori county, police are searching for a gang of about five men armed with crude weapons who injured two men during a robbery.
The gang escaped after stealing Sh50,000 and electronic goods.
In all cases, police said investigations are ongoing.
