Autopsy Confirms Allan Kamau Died by Hanging in Migori Police Cell

A man who was arrested in Kuria West, Migori County, has been found dead in a police cell less than 24 hours after being taken into custody.

A post-mortem carried out at Migori Referral Hospital confirmed that Allan Kamau Kimani died by hanging. However, the pathologist, Dr Leah Obosy, said it remains unclear whether his death was the result of suicide or foul play. 

“We found that he died from hanging,” she said. “It is now up to the police to determine whether it was suicide or homicide.”

Kimani’s family has raised serious concerns over the circumstances of his death, questioning how such an incident could have occurred inside a secured police facility. His father, Geoffrey Kamau, urged the government to intervene and establish the facts. 

“We do not know whether he committed suicide or how he could have done that in a police cell,” he said. “We urge the government to help us know the truth regarding the death of my son.”

Kimani had been arrested on 28 September following a complaint made by his aunt, who accused him of trespassing and cutting down trees on her property. According to his mother, Mary Wambui, the disagreement escalated when the aunt demanded financial compensation. When the family was unable to raise the amount requested, Kimani was detained.

Wambui further alleged that she received several phone calls from a man who identified himself as a police corporal. She said the officer demanded KSh15,000 for her son’s release and issued warnings about the consequences of non-payment. 

During one of the calls, she reportedly heard her son’s voice in the background, pleading for help. Hours later, she was informed that he had died. The claims of extortion, combined with the uncertainty surrounding Kimani’s death, have raised concerns about police conduct and the handling of detainees.