A somber mood engulfed Katito Police Station in Nyakach Sub-County, Kisumu County, after a man reportedly died by suicide inside a police cell. The incident occurred on the morning of Friday, June 13, 2025, and has raised fresh concerns about the safety and mental well-being of detainees in custody.
The deceased, who had been arrested for stock theft by the area chief, was booked at the station under Occurrence Book (OB) number 09/13/06/2025 at around 9:00 a.m. Not long after his booking, officers on duty reportedly heard a commotion coming from the cell block. Upon responding to the noise, they found the man had hanged himself using a vest tied to the grill of the cell door.
Despite efforts to rescue him, the man had already succumbed by the time officers reached him. The scene was processed by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) based in Nyakach and Muhoroni, alongside Crime Scene Investigations (CSI) officers from Kisumu. The body was moved to the morgue as investigations continue, with the Independent Police Oversight Authority (IPOA) expected to follow up on the matter.
This incident comes just days after a similar tragedy occurred at Ukwala Police Station in Siaya County. On Tuesday morning, another suspect, identified as Joseph Otieno Oduor alias Sande, aged 26, was found dead inside the station’s cells. Oduor had been arrested on a court-issued warrant over defilement charges. According to police, he was discovered hanging in the toilet, having used his shirt to tie himself to a metal water pipe. The family later disclosed that he had exhibited suicidal tendencies in the past, including a prior attempt on his life.
Both cases have intensified scrutiny on the management and monitoring of suspects in custody. Critics argue that custodial officers must exercise greater vigilance, especially in situations where detainees show signs of distress or potential self-harm.
These back-to-back incidents come in the shadow of another ongoing investigation involving the death of teacher and blogger Albert Ojwang, who died under mysterious circumstances at Central Police Station in Nairobi. His case, too, has been referred to IPOA, and it has further ignited public concern over accountability in police cells.
IPOA recently disclosed that it is currently investigating 18 cases of deaths in police custody reported between February 2025 and the present. The growing number of such incidents has prompted human rights organizations to call for comprehensive reforms, including mandatory mental health screenings for detainees and the installation of surveillance systems in all holding facilities.
As families mourn their loved ones, the public waits for answers and reforms to ensure that those held in custody remain safe and treated with dignity.
