Siaya: Man Found Dead In Police Cell Hours After Arrest For Threatening His Wife
- A fisherman from Siaya county, who was arrested for threatening his wife with a panga, was found dead just hours later inside a police cell
- The man had been taken in after a domestic altercation, but when his wife returned the next morning, police refused her access, only to later inform her he had died
- He was reportedly found drinking at a local den, disarmed and locked up overnight, but by morning, the man was dead, and no clear explanation had been offered
- Authorities claim investigations have begun, but the family is demanding answers, raising disturbing questions about what really happened behind bars
Didacus Malowa, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.
A family in Siaya county is reeling from shock and confusion after a man who was arrested for threatening his wife was found dead in a police cell just hours later.
Source: Getty Images
The tragic incident occurred on Sunday, July 6, at Nyamonye Police Patrol Base in Bondo sub-county.
According to initial reports, the deceased, Bonface Ongili, had confronted his wife, Eunice Atieno Omondi, during a domestic altercation at their home.
Ongili, a fisherman, allegedly charged at her with a panga, forcing her to flee to the nearby police post to seek refuge.
According to a report by Daily Nation, after reporting the matter to officers at the base, Eunice accompanied them to her home.
They found the house locked, and the couple’s children had sought shelter at a neighbour’s house.
She then led the police to a nearby drinking den, where Ongili frequented, and he was found making merry.
Officers confiscated the panga from him and placed him under arrest.
How did Siaya man die in police cell?
Upon their return to the police base, officers ordered Ongili to surrender the house keys to his wife before detaining him for the night.
The next morning, Eunice returned to the station, but the officers only took her phone number and promised to call her.
Source: Getty Images
However, the police officers at the station didn't allow her to see her husband, who she thought was still in the holding cells.
"The officers took my phone number and promised to call. They did not allow me to see him," Eunice recounted.
Later, a police officer informed her that Ongili had died in the cell, alleging he had killed himself.
Bondo Sub-County Directorate of Criminal Investigations Officer (DCIO) Reuben Onchoka confirmed the incident and said investigations into Ongili’s death had been launched.
How did Siaya cleric die in custody?
In a related incident, the Oduor family is grieving after Pastor Joseph Otieno Oduor died in custody just hours after his arrest at Sega Police Station for allegedly skipping court and assaulting a child.
Police claimed he took his life using his own T-shirt, but the family suspects he was beaten and is urgently seeking justice.
IPOA initiated inquiries, visiting the scene and notifying the family, fueling suspicions of a cover-up.
Human rights advocate Peter Otieno criticised the trend of custody deaths, noting officials often default to self-harm narratives.
Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
