Shock as man dies in police custody after fight with wife
Western
By
Benard Lusigi
| Aug 12, 2025
When Raymond Nachibati, 33, was arrested on Saturday morning at Malindi Market Centre in Navakholo Constituency, Kakamega County, he believed he would go through all the right legal procedures and be released. But it was not to be.
On Saturday evening, the family of Nachibati received information that their kin had died by suicide, with his body found hanging inside the cell from a rope.
Nachibati was arrested after being accused of beating his wife, Celestine Barasa, for allegedly questioning him over his decision to marry a second wife.
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The two, together with the woman’s brother, were involved in a confrontation that turned into a fight, leading to their arrest, but the woman and her brother were later released.
According to the deceased’s family, their kin had quarrelled with his wife on Monday and went missing until the announcement of his death.
“The last day I saw my son was on Monday last week, after he quarrelled with his wife. I had not set eyes on him until Saturday, when I saw his body hanging lifelessly from a rope inside the police cell,” said Esther Khayemba, the mother of the deceased.
She added, “We were told that his wife reported him to the police because he assaulted her, and she wanted to seek medical attention. When police put my son in the cell, she left, but surprisingly she did not go to any hospital. Instead, she went to their house and started packing her belongings, and before she could leave with her items, we received reports that my son had died.”
The deceased’s family, however, is calling for justice and a thorough investigation to establish the circumstances in which he died.
The family doubts the police version that the deceased committed suicide, alleging that there is a case of cover-up.
“When one is arrested, no one is allowed to get into the cell with anything.
‘‘We are wondering how he managed to get into the cell with a rope and a shoe,” said Khayemba.
She added, “We suspect that our son was beaten to death by police and placed on the rope, or he was beaten and left to die.”
Bonface Nachibati, the deceased’s father, wants the Independent Police Oversight Authority to investigate the matter and establish the circumstances under which his son died.
“Police know very well what happened, because where did my son get a rope to hang himself in a room has nothing?
Police should tell us how the suspect was allowed to enter with shoes inside the cell,” said Nachibati.
He added, “We suspect foul play, and we want to know why my son’s wife and her brother were arrested and later released when they had been arrested alongside the deceased.”