Nyamira Man Arrested Over Theft Of Bananas Dies In Custody, Family, And Police Differ

• Jackson Makori Obare was allegedly assaulted by a neighbour who accused him of stealing his bananas
• Obare's family claimed he died at Ekerenyo Police Station before his body was taken to Nyamira County Referral Hospital's mortuary
• However, police have disputed the claims of the family, arguing that he died while receiving treatment at the hospital

Amos Khaemba, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.

Nyamira - A family of a man in a village in Bogisaba ward, North Nyamira, is caring for justice after their kin died under mysterious circumstances.

Jackson Makori Obare, aged 59, allegedly died in custody at Ekerenyo Police Station, where he was being held for stealing bananas.

Citizen TV reported that Obare was assaulted on Sunday, December 24, while walking through a neighbour's farm with his friends.

Nyamira family dismisses police claims

Obare was taken to the Ekerenyo Police Station and locked up after being beaten by the farm owner and others.

The family claimed Obare was taken to Ekerenyo Hospital for treatment and later returned to the police station, where he died.

Obare's family questioned why the police only told them the body was at Nyamira Referral Hospital mortuary, yet they never informed them of his transfer to the hospital.

Despite the police denying that the victim died while in custody, the family claimed the mortuary attendant informed them that the deceased did not die at the hospital but was brought in by the police while already dead.

"I asked the mortuary attendant if the body was that of my brother, but the names were not his. They told us to go and ask the police because it was the police who brought the body. I asked where his clothes were and was told they were burned. I wondered why to burn the clothes of a dead person," Tom Obare, the deceased's brother, said.

What Nyamira deputy county commissioner said

Nyamira deputy county commissioner Simon Musumba confirmed the incident, saying the man died at the hospital.

Musumba disclosed that preliminary investigations showed the Obare did not steal bananas as alleged.

"There was a man who was suspected to have stolen a banana, and he was assaulted and was taken to the hospital, where he died. However, the investigations we have gathered show the deceased was not stealing, as alleged," Musumba said.

Trans Nzoia: Suspect dies in police cell

In another story, police have launched a probe into the death of a suspected thief at the Kesogon Police Station, in Trans Nzoia county.

According to police reports, the man who was arrested on Friday, September 1, was found dead by an officer who had gone to check on him.

A police officer on duty said he was conducting a routine check at the cell when he realised the cell door was locked from inside.

The 27-year-old suspect was arrested for breaking into a building at Kesogon Shopping Centre with intent to commit robbery and was to be taken to Kipsaina Police Station.

“I went to check on the suspect who was in the post’s cell pending collection to Kipsaina Police Station, and that is when I realised something was wrong,” an officer at the facility said as reported by NTV.