Nakuru family demands justice after kin allegedly dies in police custody

Police in Nakuru are on the spot after a man allegedly died in police custody.

The family of Festus Muthui is accusing police in Bondeni of allegedly assaulting their relative while in custody, which they say led to his death.

Mr Muthui died while receiving treatment at the Nakuru County Referral and Teaching Hospital (NCRTH) on December 24, 2024.

According to the family, Mr Muthui succumbed to injuries sustained while in police custody.

Mtaa Wangu can confirm that the 26-year-old mechanic was arrested at Bondeni Police Station on Friday, December 20, 2024 after his estranged wife reported him for allegedly defiling their 12-year-old daughter.

George Mutinda, the deceased's father, says he received a call from his son's employer on December 20, informing him that his son had been arrested and that he needed to travel to Nakuru.

On arrival, he met his daughter-in-law, Eunice Kimani, who demanded Sh30,000, which she claimed was maintenance money that Muthui had not given overtime.

"She noted that the children's department had authorized his son to pay Sh2,000 monthly maintenance, which he stopped paying at some point.  I decided to intervene and pay my son's debt.  I gave her Sh5,400 and promised to add Sh15,000 before I go back home and pay the rest in installments," he notes.

Mr Mutinda notes that they agreed to meet at the police station and have Muthui released the next day. At the station, he says he found his son in a bad state when he was released.

"At the station, a police officer named Ann Achieng attended to us. When we asked her to release Mutinda, she said she had to talk to OCS Meshak Mwangangi. A few minutes later she came back and said the OCS was demanding Sh20,000 for his son to be released," he explains.

He further states that he went out to get the money, which he was told was cash bail, and his son was released from the cells.

Shockingly, he found that his son's health had greatly deteriorated, forcing him to rush him to the hospital.

" At (NCRTH) my son was treated and the doctor's report indicated that he was depressed and he was put on medication, but shortly after he was treated, OCS Bondeni called me back and sent a police Landcruiser to take my son back to the station supposedly to sign an important document. They arrested him again," he says.

Mr Mutinda notes that the next day he was called by the police, who needed him urgently at the station. But when he arrived, he was shocked to see his son lying unconscious on the floor of the cells.

"I rushed him to the hospital again, accompanied by three policemen, where he was pronounced dead shortly after," he notes.

Muthui's older brother, Sylvester Kitili, says that the family wants justice for their brother, noting that he did not deserve to have his life ended in such an inhumane manner.

Joining the family at the Nakuru County Referral and Teaching Hospital mortuary during the post-mortem, human rights defender David Kuria questioned why the victim was not taken to the hospital for tests to collect samples for cross-testing to gather evidence on the allegations made.

"I do not understand why the police kept Muthui in the cell for so long while he was sick and why they did not collect his sample for DNA testing as per procedure," he asks.

Nakuru East Sub-County Police Commander Mohamed Wako refuted claims that Muthui was denied medical attention, pointing out that police took him to the hospital.

"I will not comment further on the matter as the case has been taken up by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority," he says.

In a telephone interview with the Regional Coordinator at the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), Japheth Kaimenyi, notes that the case was reported to the IPOA by OCS Meshak Mwangagi and investigations have commenced.

"The OCS reported the matter to the office on December 26 that the man died in hospital following a medical issue while in police custody. The case is now being investigated by the IPOA," he says.