Kiambu family, police set record straight on suspect death

Police in Kiambu have dismissed, as false, claims that a suspect was beaten up and as a result sustained injuries that led to his death at Kiambu Police Station cells.

County police commander Michale Muchiri said the suspect fell while in a police cell during which he sustained serious injuries on the head.

He said he later succumbed to the injuries while receiving treatment in Kiambu Level IV Hospital.

“Police no longer beat up suspects. The claims that the suspect was beaten is wrong since in the cells, 33 other suspects confirmed from their statements that the suspect fell and sustained injuries," Muchiri said.

Stephen Mwangi Mugweru, a 24-year-old man was last Friday arrested by police on patrol in Kiambu town while allegedly in possession of illegal substances.

According to the police, Mwangi was cooperative during the arrest and showed no signs of any complication while in police cells.

Saturday morning, police say a roll call of all suspects was done and Mwangi showed no signs of ill health.

“I did the roll call of all persons in our cells and also took photos of them and none showed any signs of ill health,” a police officer said declining to be quoted as he is not authorised to speak to the media.

The officer said that at around 10 am, suspects in the cell alerted him saying one of them had collapsed.

“The man was taken to hospital and was put on oxygen but later was pronounced dead,” the officer said.

The commander said that all persons in custody recorded their statements including a relative of the deceased who had visited the scene.

“Statements were recorded. Officers from scenes of crime also dusted the scene. Officers from the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) visited the scene of the matter and took their report awaiting autopsy,” he said.

Godfrey Mugweru, the father of the deceased, said his son had no medical records.

“My son had no illness. how come he died while in police custody? He has never been arrested for possessing or selling bhang. We were told that he fell because he is epileptic whereas my son is not epileptic,” Mugweru said.

He added that the autopsy revealed that his son died after being hit on the head with a blunt object which led to him oozing blood from his ears and nose.

“When we saw our son lying on the hospital bed while dead, he was oozing blood from the nose, and ears and was also bleeding from the head,” he said.

According to an autopsy report seen by the Star, pathologist Dr Eunia Mugweru said the cause of death was due to head and chest injuries as a result of blunt force trauma.

Alice Wanjiku the mother of the deceased said that her son was an obedient person, friendly, and had no grudge against anyone.

He said he had no history of selling drugs and did not understand how his son would just fall and die with no history of any ailment.

 “On that day my son was arrested I had sent him to go and take a merry-go-round money to a woman friend in Kiambu market which he did and he was in good health. On Saturday is when I hear my son is no more as he was arrested and then dumped in hospital since there was no police in the hospital found after my son died when we visited the hospital,” Wanjiku said.

The family has now called for justice for their son calling for IPOA to take action.