Likoni family calls for justice after kin died while in police custody

MOMBASA, Kenya, Nov 17- A family in Likoni, Mombasa County is calling for justice, after their kin died while in police custody over the weekend.

Chris Kahuro is said to have been arrested last Friday in Likoni area for allegedly breaking curfew rules.

He was found by police  past 10pm.

His father, Mark Mwavita told Shahidi News that his son had been taken to Inuka Police Station in Likoni.

He only got wind of his arrest when he was told that his son had been rushed to hospital for treatment.

“The police took him to the cell, and we are told when he was there a commotion ensued, but we don’t know what really transpired,” he said.

According to Mwavita, he was told that his son had entered the cell with his wallet, which other inmates ‘attempted’ to forcefully take it from him.

But the Officer in charge of the station (OCS) is said to have taken the wallet after the alleged commotion.

But the following day on Saturday, Kahuro woke up unwell and died while being rushed to hospital.

Mwavita is calling on the intervention of police watchdog, the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to establish what transpired.

“What we don’t understand is did they beat him? What might have happened between the time he was arrested and the police station?” an emotionally distraught father asked.

An autopsy on his body is set to be done to establish the cause of death.