Another Nairobi man found dead in a police cell

Another Nairobi man found dead in a police cell Simon Wanrui, a man from Nairobi, was found dead under mysterious circumstances in a police cell at the Mombasa Central Police Station. Simon disappeared from his home in Nairobi in mid-September and was then found in a state of disarray in Mombasa's Catholic Church. He was arrested by the local police station. And now, the most bizarre thing: Warui was found dead in a pool of blood in the toilet of the police cell. Police claimed that Warui died from a fall while attempting to climb a wall in the cell. However, an autopsy report revealed that he died of neck fractures and oxygen deprivation to the brain due to bleeding, suggesting a fall from a great height. This report also raises some questions. Police believe he climbed a wall and fell "from a great height," which was the cause. Police stations in Kenya are on one level, so the rooms are no higher than 3 meters. Another striking feature is the lack of oxygen, which suggests that he suffocated. A fall from a great height is also odd, because what does "great height" mean? Are 3 meters tall? Even if someone falls from a wall, they are unlikely to suffer from oxygen deprivation! The family and human rights activists question this explanation and demand justice. They express concern about similar suspicious deaths in police custody. The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) has launched an investigation into his death, highlighting issues of police accountability and the safety of detained suspects. Something remains to be clarified here. Tides in police custody are not uncommon. From February 2025 to mid-2025, the Independent Police Oversight Authority (IPOA) investigated 18 cases of deaths in police custody in Kenya. At least 104 people were killed by police in 2024, many during protests. The number of deaths in police custody reportedly increased slightly from two in 2023 to five in 2024. 104 people were killed by police in 2024. 18 deaths in police custody were investigated between February 2025 and mid-2025. Five deaths in police custody were recorded in 2024. Numerous deaths and injuries related to police violence also occurred during protests in 2024 and early 2025. Between 2024 and mid-2025, over 120 people reportedly died in police custody or police-related violence in Kenya. The death of Simon Warui, who died in custody at Mombasa Police Station, is currently under investigation. His family disputes the official autopsy findings, which indicate cardiovascular collapse as a result of a cervical vertebra fracture and dislocation related to a fall from a great height. They demand a thorough and impartial investigation. Human rights organizations and the Independent Police Oversight Authority (IPOA) are investigating the circumstances of his death. The IPOA has already received video footage from the police station. Furthermore, the Kenya Bar Association (LSK) and the Kenya National Human Rights Commission (KNCHR) are actively advocating for justice for Simon Warui's family and are closely monitoring the investigation. There have been calls for the officers on duty and the police commander to be suspended pending the investigation. @https://www.citizen.digital/news/simon-waruis-family-demands-answers-over-his-death-in-police-custody-n370234 @https://nation.africa/kenya/news/simon-warui-ipoa-opens-probe-after-man-disappears-turns-up-dead-at-mombasa-police-cell-5203600 @https://k24.digital/411/simon-waruis-family-rejects-postmortem-findings @https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/coast/article/2001529989/mystery-as-missing-man-found-dead-in-mombasa-police-toilet-486km-from-home @https://www.tnx.africa/newsbeat/article/2001529918/simon-warui-how-missing-nairobi-man-ended-up-dead-inside-mombasa-police-station @https://www.theonlinekenyan.com/read/story/580450 @https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2025-06-12-ipoa-probing-18-cases-of-death-in-police-custody @https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/kenyans-brace-protests-one-year-after-storming-parliament-2025-06-25/ @https://www.citizen.digital/news/104-kenyans-killed-by-police-in-2024-report-n362305 @https://missingvoices.or.ke/sites/default/files/2025-05/MISSING%20VOICES%20ANNUAL%20REPORT%202024.pdf