Police and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) have launched investigations into the death of a suspect who was found unconscious inside a cell toilet at the Kerugoya Law Courts.
The incident occurred on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, after the deceased, identified as John Kinyua, 40, had taken plea on charges of creating a disturbance. According to police, Kinyua was arrested in Kibingo on Tuesday and detained overnight before being presented in court the following day.
Officials said he pleaded not guilty and was subsequently remanded at the court holding cells pending a pre-trial hearing scheduled for January 19, 2026. He was locked up with about 20 other suspects awaiting transfer to Kerugoya Prison.
Trouble was discovered when prison officers arrived to collect the suspects, only to find Kinyua lying unconscious on the floor of the cell toilet. Police noted that he was cold at the time of discovery.
He was rushed to Kerugoya County Referral Hospital for emergency treatment but was pronounced dead on arrival.
The cause of death remains unclear. The body has since been moved to the mortuary pending a post-mortem examination as investigations continue.
