A man collapsed and died on Monday, June 22, while being held at a police station in Bungoma County.
A report by K24 TV indicated that the prisoner, Josiah Namunyu, had been arrested over defilement allegations and was checked in at Mayanja Police Station when he developed breathing problems.
Confirming the incident, Silvester Nyakundi and Jackline Muthoni, both officers at the station, were on duty when they heard a knock on the cell door and when they opened, they found other inmates helping Namunyu.
The incident happened at 05:30 a.m.
“They opened the cells and found other prisoners trying to assist one male prisoner (sic), Josiah Namunyu, who had developed seizures, and having difficulty in breathing.
"The OCS was informed, and on a visit to the cells, the suspect was found already dead,” he stated.
The officers further indicated that prior to his arrest, the suspect had endured a beating from the mob.
He was expected to appear before a court of law for the mentioning of his case the same day.
“The suspect had been subjected to mob justice prior to his arrest, and had been treated at Bungoma County Referral Hospital and discharged after his condition improved,” they noted.
The body of the deceased was transferred to the Bungoma County Referral Hospital.
Since the coronavirus pandemic hit the country, cases of abrupt deaths have been reported across regions in Kenya with very few being linked to the virus.
For example, the case of Justus Kavindu, 55, who collapsed and died outside a bank in Mwingi, most of the incidents involved difficulty in breathing before death was reported
Kavindu was walking towards a stage on the Mwingi-Garrisa Road when he collapsed and died.
The man's daughter, Teresia Kavindu, who was walking with him when he collapsed, disclosed that Justus had complained of breathing problems and chest pain.
