Kisumu County, Kenya — A man arrested on suspicion of stock theft has died while in police custody at Katito Police Station in Nyakach Sub-County, Kisumu County, under circumstances authorities are now treating as an apparent suicide.
According to a police report filed on Friday night, the man had been brought to the station earlier that morning by the chief of Agoro West Location.
Less than two hours later, he was found hanging from the grill of a police cell door, using a vest as a noose.
The incident was discovered after Sergeant Nixon Lukwa reportedly heard a commotion coming from the cell block and alerted officers on duty. Police constables Juliana Koka and Andrew Okong’o, who were manning the report office and cell area respectively, responded immediately.
“Efforts were made to rescue him by cutting the vest, but unfortunately, he succumbed to injuries,” the report states.
The body was found lifeless, suspended from the door grill, with the vest tightly secured around his neck.
The station has since been visited by a team from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Nyakach, the Sub-County Police Commander for Muhoroni, and Crime Scene Investigators from Kisumu.
The area was preserved as a crime scene, pending the outcome of forensic analysis and investigative review.
The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has also been notified and is expected to take over the matter as part of its mandate to investigate deaths and misconduct involving police officers.
The incident adds to a growing list of controversial deaths in police custody across Kenya, drawing renewed scrutiny over detention practices and the mental health support provided to suspects.
Rights groups and residents have increasingly called for enhanced accountability and surveillance systems within holding facilities to ensure the safety and dignity of individuals awaiting prosecution.
Written by Lisa Murimi
