- The motive of the incident was not immediately known.
- Dozens of police officers have died as a result of suicide in a trend that is attributed to stress at work.
Image: THE STAR
Police are investigating an incident in which their colleague was found dead on a tree after a suspected suicide in Athi River, Machakos County.
The body of constable Josphat Kirinya Ndegwa was on Wednesday, March 9 morning found hanging on a tree within the police lines.
A passerby reported he had seen a body hanging on the tree and when police went to check, they found it was one of their colleagues.
The motive of the incident was not immediately known.
The body was moved to the mortuary.
Machakos police boss Issa Mohamed said they are investigating the incident.
“It is unfortunate but we do not know the motive and if he did it himself,” he said.
Such incidents have been on the increase in the recent past in a worrying trend.
Dozens of police officers have died as a result of suicide in a trend that is attributed to stress at work.
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 will, among other things, evaluate, design and lead an outreach programme that helps prevent mental health and substance abuse.
At least three suicide cases involving police officers are recorded every month.
Further, it will assist clients and families affected by mental health, substance abuse and trauma with ways of overcoming the problem.
The unit will also participate in the formulation of counselling policies, regulations and strategies in conformity with the NPS reform agenda and participate in the implementation, interpretation and review of counselling services, policies, procedures and systems.
Over the years, a spike in deaths in the service has been linked to trauma. They include deaths by gun.