Questions linger as man who died in police cells laid to rest

As Patrick Ngugi’s casket was lowered into the grave in Oloirien village, Kajiado West sub-county on Friday, his father, Mr Peter Ng’ethe, was bitter that poverty had made him bury his son with lingering questions on the cause of his death.

Police said Ngugi, 30, hanged himself using shoelaces inside a cell at Matasia police post on the night of April 3.

A post-mortem examination performed on Tuesday at the City Mortuary indicated he died from lack of air caused by strangulation or suffocation. 

With that finding, police closed the case of the man who died shortly after his arrest at 9.30pm on Saturday for flouting the 8pm curfew. 

Police said the father of a two-year-old boy who was a boda boda rider had been found with fake US currency of unknown value.

However, Ngugi’s father, who has disputed the police version of his son’s death, couldn’t raise money to hire a private pathologist to witness the autopsy on behalf of the family.

"The family is not satisfied with the autopsy report. We are appealing to well-wishers to help us raise money for a private pathologist. We strongly believe our son's death was premeditated," Mr Ng’ethe said on Tuesday. 

According to the autopsy report, Ngugi had a deep ligature impression along the shortest circumference of his neck.

His tongue was also protruding, which is a common occurrence when one is strangled. He also had an abrasion on his right temple.

However, his digestive system, his head, cardiovascular system, urinary system, spinal column and cord exhibited no abnormalities. 

As such, his body had neither external nor internal injuries.

While this account seems to corroborate the police report that he committed suicide, Mr Ng'ethe, who identified his son’s body, which was still clad in a red long-sleeved shirt and blue jeans, isn’t satisfied.

There are so many lingering questions surrounding the circumstances of his death in the cell at Matasia police post, which is barely 200 metres from their home in Lower Matasia.

While police say he committed suicide using shoelaces, they can’t tell exactly what time that happened. They only say his body was discovered on Sunday morning.

That, however, raises the question of how he got into the cells with his shoes – or shoelaces, which are supposed to be removed before going into the cells.

It’s routine that a suspect is stripped of all items, particularly those that might be used to cause harm. It’s common for a suspect to be allowed into a police cell with only one shoe. Would a shoelace be enough to sustain the weight of a fully grown man measuring 175 centimetres?

Another question is how he could have committed suicide in a holding cell without his cellmates raising the alarm? Or was he alone in the cell? There are reports that the other suspects were released the following day when the body was taken to the City Mortuary. 

Ngugi’s mother, Ms Susan Wanjiru, said the family was alerted by police officers about her son’s death at noon on Sunday.

They rushed to the police station, where they were informed that the body had been taken to City Mortuary.

"The body was moved immediately we were notified around midday on Sunday. Everything was done in a huff. We caught up with the police vehicle ferrying our son’s body in Ngong. It was inhumane," said Ms Wanjiru.

Family members who went to the City Mortuary on Tuesday for the post-mortem examination said they were kept waiting for hours.

They had been informed that the autopsy would be done in the morning but it took place late in the evening.  

 The family is now seeking help from the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) and independent human rights agencies.

"We fear we may not get justice for our son's death. We want IPOA to intervene," Mr Ng'ethe said.

But Kajiado North sub-county police boss Rashid Mohamed has said Ngugi committed suicide sometime between his booking in the cells and Sunday morning.

“The immediate family and members of Nyumba Kumi were notified before the body was moved," Mr Mohamed said, dismissing claims of secrecy over the matter.

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