Family Demands Answers After Businessman Dies in Police Cell Hours After Arrest
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A family in Makueni is demanding answers after a middle-aged businessman died at Kilungu Police Station just hours after his arrest, with police claiming he died by suicide.
Gideon Makau was arrested on the evenig of Tuesday, August 4 at his business premises, Nunguni Shopping Centre for allegedly possessing a machete. Police then took him to the Kilungu police cells.
By Wednesday morning, August 5, Makau had died. Police later told his family that he had used his trousers to hang himself while in custody.
However, the family rejected the explanation and called for a thorough investigation to establish what happened to Makau between his arrest and death.
The family said officers did not immediately inform them about his death. Instead, they said a friend reportedly saw Makau’s body being taken to Kilungu Sub-County Mortuary.
Family Rejects Suicide Claim at Kilungu Police Station
Makau’s mother, Teresia Mbandi, disputed the police account. She said the trousers around her son’s neck did not appear tight enough to support the claim that he had hanged himself.
“As for the reason we were given, we were told that he had hanged himself with trousers. When I held the trousers that were around his neck, they were not tight at all. They were loose. I looked at his neck and saw that the trousers were still in place, but there was nothing holding him tightly. I cannot accept that. He is my child, the one I gave birth to and raised with great difficulty. I am in deep pain. I want my child back. If that is not what happened, God will deal with them,” she said.
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Similarly, his wife, Pauline Gideon, questioned the suicide explanation and called for justice.
“When I look at my husband and feel the pain of his death, I do not believe that he is the one who hanged himself. For me, all I can say is that I want justice to be done,” she said.
The family said it would wait for the post-mortem findings to establish the cause of Makau’s death before deciding on its next steps.
Leaders Demand Investigation
Meanwhile, local leaders and residents have joined the family in questioning what happened at the Kilungu Police Station.
Kilungu Ward MCA Joseph Mbindyo called for an investigation into the officers at the station and demanded action against anyone found responsible.
“It is as if he was beaten. We have reached a point where we have no confidence at all. We want them investigated and action taken against them. They should be removed from here because we do not want them anymore,” Mbindyo said.
In addition, resident Priscilla Wavinya said the incident had further weakened residents’ confidence in the Kilungu Police Station. She claimed Makau was the third person to die there.
“We have no confidence in that police station. He is the third person to die there. There has never been a situation where someone’s family is called while their loved one is at the station and told that the person is dead. No one has ever been called and informed that their loved one has been taken to the mortuary,” she said.
Also Read: Former Councillor and MP Aspirant Shot Dead by Unknown Assailants at His Home
IPOA Joins Probe
Meanwhile, the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has joined the investigation into Makau’s death.
The development comes as human rights defenders raise concerns over deaths in police custody.
According to the information provided, 17 people died in custody over 12 months, while authorities have yet to resolve the circumstances surrounding those deaths.
As the investigation continues, Makau’s family is awaiting the post-mortem findings, which are expected to provide more information about the circumstances of his death.
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A collage photo of Gideon Makau, a businessman who was arrested and taken to Kilungu Police station for possession of a machete, police claim he committed suicide. PHOTO/ Screengrab