Family of man who died in police custody in Kipipiri dispute suicide theory
Officers claimed Ndubi hanged himself using his shirt, which was tied to the padlock of the inner door
The family of a 44-year-old man, who is alleged to have died by suicide at Turasha Police Station in Kipipiri, Nyandarua County, has raised queries on the account given the police report.
Ruigi Ndubi’s family pointed to the suspicious circumstances surrounding his death.
According to the Police, Ndubi had been arrested for obstructing police officers performing their duty and was placed in custody.
They claimed that he appeared drunk when he was arrested was placed in a cell and it was during a routine check at 12:46 pm that a police officer discovered that the suspect was dead.
The police further claimed that Ndubi hanged himself using his shirt, which was tied to the padlock of the inner door.
“One suspect, namely Ruigi Ndubi, aged about 44 years, who had been arrested by police officers and placed in custody for the offence of obstructing police officers while in performance of duty and placed in custody while appearing drunk. The officer on duty visited the cell at 1246hrs and found the suspect having committed suicide inside the cell by hanging himself using his shirt tied to the padlock of the inner door,” the police report stated in part.
This comes a few days after two suspects in police custody in Kisumu and Homa Bay were eported to have died by suicide.
Calvince Omondi Onditi mysteriously died in a police cell in Homa Bay County.
Another man allegedly died after committing suicide while in police custody at Katito Police Station in Kisumu County.
The suspect had been arrested by the area chief for the offence of stock theft and brought to the station.
However, hours later, the man was found hanging from the cell door grill using a vest.
Queries raised by the family of Ndubi also stem from the recent case of teacher and blogger Albert Ojwang who died mysteriously while at the Nairobi Central Police Station.
The police report initially indicated that the deceased had died from self-inflicted injuries sustained after hitting his head against the wall but an autopsy revealed that he had died from head injuries resulting from blunt force trauma and neck compression.
Today, six people, including three officers, denied murder charges at the Kibera Law Courts in relation to the incident.
