A man arrested over stock theft allegations has died in police custody at Katito Police Station, sparking investigations into the circumstances surrounding his death.
The man, whose identity has not yet been released to the public, was found hanging from a cell door grill using a vest just hours after being booked into the station on Friday morning.
According to a police report filed that night, the suspect had been brought in by the Agoro West Location Chief. Officers on duty — Constables Juliana Koka and Andrew Okong’o — were reportedly alerted to the incident by Sergeant Nixon Lukwa, who heard commotion coming from the cells.
“Efforts were made to rescue him by cutting the vest, but unfortunately he succumbed to injuries,” the report stated.
The tragedy unfolded less than two hours after the man’s arrival at the station.
Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in Nyakach, the Muhoroni Sub-County Police Commander, and crime scene experts from Kisumu rushed to the scene, which has since been sealed off as investigations get underway.
The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has also taken over the probe to determine whether there was any negligence or foul play on the part of the police in the incident.
