Man Found Dead in Homa Bay Police Cell Hours After Arrest

The death of a 24-year-old man who died in custody less than one hour after he was arrested has prompted investigations by the police in Homa Bay County.

Wycliffe Omondi, the deceased, was reported to have been arrested for stealing cows in the Central Kochia ward.

The police confirmed that he was apprehended on Monday morning and taken to Ngegu Police Station in Rangwe Subcounty.

County police commander, Lawrence Koilem, disclosed that Omondi was arrested while transporting the stolen cow to Kendu Bay.

Police further indicated that they had booked him and put him in custody to conduct further investigations on the case.

However, things turned out tragic just some hours after his arrest when the police conducting inspections on the holding cells discovered the deceased.

Discovery During Routine Cell Inspection

“Officers on duty, including the Officer Commanding Station (OCS) and the cell sentry, discovered the deceased body hanging by the ventilator during routine checks shortly after his arrest,” Koilem said.

“It is unfortunate that shortly after his arrest, he was found to have hanged himself using shoelaces in the ventilator holes,” the OCS added.

The police commander noted that Omondi had been alone in the cell at the time of the incident.

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Questions Over Access to Shoelaces

Authorities have indicated that it remains unclear how the suspect came into possession of the shoelaces while in custody, as standard procedures often require removal of personal items that could pose a risk.

Koilem suggested that the deceased “may have accessed the laces when being served food,” though this remains speculative as investigations continue.

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Independent Probe and Family Notification

The matter has since been reported to the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), which is expected to conduct an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death.

Koilem confirmed that the deceased’s family has been notified, adding that parallel investigations by the police are ongoing to establish the full sequence of events.

“The investigations are ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident,” he said.

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Photo of a man in a police cell with handcuffs. PHOTO/ File