Man dies in Kuresoi police custody two days after arrest
Police claim a man in Nyandarua died by suicide just over an hour after he was booked at a police station.
Questions are mounting over the death of a 30-year-old man who died in police custody in Kuresoi South, Nakuru County, barely two days after his arrest over a dispute.
Bernard Cheruiyot was arrested on March 27 after allegedly being apprehended by members of the public and village elders for threatening to kill a neighbour.
He was expected to appear in court on Monday but died on March 29 while in custody at Keringet Police Station.
Nakuru County Police Commander Samuel Boit confirmed the incident, saying Cheruiyot died on Sunday morning while receiving treatment at Keringet Sub-County Hospital. Police say the deceased had been detained for the offence of issuing death threats.
Commander Boit said that on the night of March 29, a sentry alerted the Deputy Officer Commanding Station (D-OCS) about a “disturbed prisoner” in the cells.
When the officer checked, Cheruiyot was found lying down and reportedly claimed he was fine, despite having a swollen forehead. He is said to have told officers he had injured himself by hitting his head against the wall.
A nurse from Keringet Sub-County Hospital was called to the station, examined him and reportedly declared him “out of danger,” advising officers to continue monitoring his condition.
“The prisoner was observed until 5am when the D-OCS was relieved of duty. At around 6am, his condition worsened and he was rushed to the hospital 30 minutes later, where he unfortunately died while undergoing treatment,” Mr Boit said.
The case has since been handed over to the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) for investigation.
“IPOA will take over the matter since we cannot investigate ourselves. In such circumstances, we are both the victim and the suspect. We are not hiding anything, and anyone found culpable will face the law,” said Mr Boit.
However, Cheruiyot’s family has rejected the police account, accusing officers of negligence and possible foul play.
His wife, Shandevine Chebet, said the arrest stemmed from a trivial dispute over Sh10. She explained that her brother-in-law had attempted to charge his phone at a neighbour’s shop, but when it failed, he demanded a refund, sparking a quarrel.
Cheruiyot reportedly intervened to shield his brother, prompting the neighbour to report him to the police for issuing threats.
Ms Chebet said she visited her husband in custody on Saturday and found him in distress.
“He was sweating and shivering, but the police ignored my pleas to take him to the hospital,” she said.
When she returned the following morning, she was informed he had been taken to the hospital, only to find he had already died.
“I found him lying dead. His body was swollen, he had head injuries, a swollen eye and blood coming from his mouth and ears,” she said.
Cheruiyot’s uncle Joseph Barno has called for a thorough and independent investigation, questioning how a man who was healthy at the time of arrest could deteriorate so rapidly in custody.
The family has recorded statements with IPOA and is now appealing for financial support to conduct a postmortem examination to establish the exact cause of death.
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