A family in Kiambu County is demanding an independent investigation into the death of Brian Njunge Ndungu, an architecture student at the Kiambu National Polytechnic (KINAP), who was found dead inside a police cell at Kiambu Police Station under disputed circumstances. Police have reported the incident as a suicide, but relatives insist they were not given a clear explanation.
Ndungu, who had recently moved into an apartment in Kiambu, was arrested over allegations of stealing household items from a neighbour, including a MacBook, a gas cylinder, a computer mouse, and two umbrellas. His family says the chain of events began when he received a phone call from a man claiming to be a Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officer. The call ended abruptly after an argument, and later his mother was informed that he had been detained at Kiambu Police Station.
Relatives travelled to the station to confirm his whereabouts, only to be told that he had died while in custody. His sister said the family was not given details of what transpired before being told he had allegedly taken his own life. They were later escorted to the holding cells, where they found his body alone inside a cell.
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Brian’s mother, Susan Wambui, described him as a quiet young man and rejected the suicide explanation. “I want justice for my son. We have been given no proper explanation except being told he committed suicide,” she said.
The family has raised concerns about inconsistencies in how the case was handled and the information provided by authorities. They are now urging the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) and other investigative agencies to launch a transparent probe into the circumstances surrounding his death.
Police have not yet issued a detailed public account of the incident.
By Masaki Enock
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