Tension continues to rise nationwide after the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) confirmed new deaths in police custody, barely weeks after the controversial killing of blogger Albert Ojwang.
In a statement released on Monday, IPOA revealed that at least four more individuals have died in unclear circumstances while being held in various police stations across the country.
The shocking revelations have sparked renewed outrage among human rights defenders, who now accuse law enforcement agencies of operating with impunity.
According to IPOA Chairperson Anne Makori, the latest cases are under active investigation, and preliminary findings point to gross misconduct and possible use of excessive force.
One of the incidents reportedly took place at a station in Kiambu, where a 19-year-old man died just hours after arrest. Another case involved a boda boda operator in Kisumu who was allegedly beaten in the cells.
The fresh reports have added pressure on Interior CS Kithure Kindiki to act, especially after promising justice in Ojwang’s death. Activists are now calling for urgent police reforms and the prosecution of officers linked to custodial deaths.
IPOA has vowed to hold all officers accountable and release a detailed report once investigations are complete.
