A 25-year-old man who was arrested for allegedly kidnapping a 17-year-old girl has been found dead in a cell at Malindi Police Station.
Lucky Odhiambo Okoth was discovered dangling from an improvised rope made of pieces of clothing on the morning of Friday, April 17, 2026.
According to reports, Okoth was alone in the cell despite 21 other prisoners being held at the station at the time.
Human rights group VOCAL Africa, together with the Malindi Community Human Rights Centre, has taken up the case and is demanding thorough investigations into the circumstances of his death.
The incident comes just days after Okoth was arrested by DCI detectives for the alleged abduction of the minor.
The 17-year-old girl was reported missing on April 12, 2026, by her father, a senior officer at GK Prison Malindi. Investigations revealed she had been communicating with unknown individuals using two mobile phone numbers before disappearing.
The case escalated into a confirmed abduction after the suspect contacted the family demanding a Ksh 200,000 ransom while threatening to harm the girl. He even allowed her to speak to her father, confirming she was alive and in captivity.
Through intelligence-led operations and forensic analysis, DCI detectives tracked and arrested Okoth in the Muyeye area of Malindi town.
The girl was safely rescued and reunited with her family. She was later taken to a medical facility for examination and care.
