A one-and-a-half-year-old boy died while in a police cell at Kambu Police Post after being assaulted by a police officer.
According to a police statement, the child died in the hands of the mother who was being detained at the police post.
It was reported that the woman, Zipporah Mutheu, had been arrested for allegedly demanding payment from a customer who had taken items from her shop on credit.
Following her arrest, the woman together with her child were dragged to the police post and detained in the cells pending further action.
However, Mutheu shared that while the officers dragged her from her shop, one officer reportedly slaps her multiple times with two slaps landing on the child.
Following the incident, she pleaded with the officers to let her son be taken home for medical attention, but she was thrown in the cell with her child.
The child’s health deteriorated inside the police cells, and he later died on Friday morning.
Mutheu said she was then hurriedly released unconditionally after she raised an alarm about her dead child and was forced to carry the body to the Kambu Hospital morgue.
The child was confirmed dead on arrival at Kambu Hospital.
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Newsday understands that the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has launched investigations into the incident.
In a statement on Monday, June 3, the oversight authority stated that its officers had already visited the scene of the incident and interviewed a number of witnesses.
The policing authority stated that upon completion of its investigations, it would recommend prosecution if criminal culpability is proven.
“Upon completion of investigations and where criminal culpability is proven, IPOA will recommend prosecution. IPOA strongly condemns such attacks noting that they interrupt the provision of security services and strip the public of policing services,” IPOA said in a statement.
IPOA’s statement on the death of a minor in police custody in Makueni County and the assault of a police officer in Kasarani, Nairobi County #GuardingPublicInterestInPolicing #PoliceAccountability ^SC pic.twitter.com/HhBQkClHUU
— IPOA (@IPOA_KE) June 3, 2024
This comes days after a police officer in Kirinyaga County was accused of shooting and killing a 19-year-old boda boda operator.
The deceased, Derrick Gachoki, was reported to have been shot dead at Kiandai shopping centre in Gichugu by police officers who were on patrol.
Kirinyaga Police Commander Andrew Naibei confirmed the incident saying a female police officer had already been taken into custody in connection with the incident.
“Police officers were on patrol last night when the incident happened and right now we have launched an investigation to see the family get justice,” Naibei said.
The incident sparked outrage with the deceased’s brother calling on the government for justice, claiming that the deceased had not committed any crime.
IPOA is also investigating the matter, “IPOA, as mandated under Cap. 86 of the laws of Kenya, has begun investigations into the fatal shooting of a youth in Kirinyaga County on Sunday.”
