A 24-year-old student of Kiambu National Polytechnic, Brian Njung\u2019e, died while in police custody at Kiambu Police Station on Thursday, May 21, hours after his arrest in the Kirigiti area of Kiambu Town, in a case now under scrutiny amid claims of a possible cover-up.<\/p>\n
Njung\u2019e was arrested in the morning and booked at the station for what police have not yet publicly disclosed in detail. According to his family, he managed to call his mother shortly after being taken into custody at about 9am, calmly informing her that he had been arrested and was being held at the station.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe call was short. He told me he had been arrested and was at the station. He sounded okay,\u201d a family member said.<\/p>\n
Alarmed by the arrest, relatives rushed to Kiambu Police Station and arrived shortly before midday, where they sought to see him. They were, however, told to wait as officers handled what they were informed were ongoing inquiries.<\/p>\n
The family says they remained at the station for several hours seeking updates on his condition. Around 2 pm, officers reportedly called them in and informed them that Njung\u2019e had died while in the cells.<\/p>\n
Police told the family that Njung\u2019e was found dead in what they described as an apparent suicide. Officers further stated that at the time of the incident, he had been alone in the cell after other detainees were taken to court.<\/p>\n
The explanation has, however, been rejected by the family, who say the timeline raises serious questions. They are questioning how a young man who had spoken to his mother just hours earlier from the same station could have died without any warning signs or intervention.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were told to wait for hours, then suddenly they called us in and said he was gone. The explanation does not add up,\u201d a family member said.<\/p>\n
They have also raised concerns over delays in communication, arguing that they were kept waiting without clear information about what was happening inside the cells while Njung\u2019e was in custody.<\/p>\n
The incident has reignited debate over deaths in police custody in Kenya, with human rights advocates pointing to recurring concerns over how such cases are handled and reported.<\/p>\n
Human rights activist Wafula Buke also weighed in, linking Njung\u2019e\u2019s death to broader concerns about accountability within the police service.<\/p>\n
\u201cMany suspects in this government are still in charge. What do we expect? This epidemic hit Kenya in 1996\u20137\u2026 Civil Society! Where are you?\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Njung\u2019e\u2019s death now joins a long list of contested custody-related fatalities that have drawn public attention in recent years, particularly cases where police accounts of suicide or natural causes are later challenged by families and activists citing inconsistencies.<\/p>\n
Over time, rights organisations have repeatedly raised concerns about monitoring of detainees inside police cells, delays in notifying relatives, and gaps in documentation of events leading to deaths. Holding cells are required to be under constant supervision, with regular checks mandated, especially where suspects are held alone.<\/p>\n
Kiambu Police Station has not yet issued a detailed public account explaining the circumstances beyond confirming that Njung\u2019e was in custody before his death. Key details, including the nature of the allegations against him and the sequence of events inside the cells, remain unclear.<\/p>\n
The family has called for an independent investigation to establish what happened between the time Njung\u2019e spoke to his mother and when they were later informed of his death.<\/p>\n
The body was moved for further procedures as investigations continue.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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