23-Year-old Man Dies 4 Hours After Arrest
A family is heartbroken after losing a loved one who died in police custody just hours after being arrested, sparking new concerns about what really goes on behind the closed doors of cells in Kenya.
The 23-year-old boda boda rider was taken into custody at the Kawangware police station in Nairobi around 7 pm on Thursday, December 11, 2025.
Just four hours later, at 10:50 pm, his body was recorded at City Mortuary.
According to the police, he reportedly took his own life using a T-shirt while he was alone in his cell.
The family strongly disputes this version of events, maintaining that the body was still dressed in the same clothes he had on at the time of his arrest.
Reports indicate that the T-shirt allegedly involved in the supposed suicide has yet to be presented.
Family members point out a mark on the victim’s neck, which suggests he may have been strangled with a wire.
This young man leaves behind a two-year-old daughter.
This heartbreaking incident occurs just six months after the tragic death of Albert Ojwang, a Kenyan blogger and teacher who passed away while in police custody in June 2025.
Ojwang was taken into custody on June 7, 2025, in Homa Bay for allegedly making derogatory posts on X and was later transferred to Nairobi Central Police Station. The following day, he was found unconscious in his cell and was declared dead at Mbagathi Hospital.
Initially, police claimed he had struck his head against a wall, but an autopsy later revealed severe head injuries, neck compression, and signs of assault. The Inspector General of Police, Douglas Kanja, eventually apologized and retracted the initial statement, resulting in the arrest of several officers.
A report from the Independent Medico-Legal Unit (IMLU) released on December 10, 2025, disclosed that 97 individuals were killed by police this year alone.
Among these, 18 died while in custody, 72 cases involved torture or mistreatment, 49 were related to protest injuries, and five were cases of enforced disappearances.
The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has initiated investigations into both incidents, but families are still seeking answers and justice.
23-Year-old Man Dies 4 Hours After Arrest
