In the small town of Kambu in Kibwezi sub-county of Makueni County, Kambu Police Station became the center of a tragic and controversial event.
The death of a one-and-a-half-year-old baby in police custody shocked and outraged the community.
Apparently, a young mother was arrested for a debt she owed her neighbor. On a scorching afternoon, police officers arrived at her home and, despite her desperate pleas, took her and her baby into custody. Witnesses reported that the officers beat both the mother and her child before locking them up.
Inside the cold, cramped cell, the baby fell Ill and her mother’s pleas for help went unheard as she begged to be allowed to buy medicine for her baby.
She was forced to watch helplessly as her baby’s condition worsened without any help coming forth.
When the police finally agreed to allow the woman to seek medication for her baby at Kambu Hospital, it was too late.
Dr. Ali, the attending physician, confirmed that the baby was already dead upon arrival. “We checked for signs of life, but there were none,” he said. “The mother was inconsolable, knowing her baby was gone.”
The assistant county commissioner Ahmed Hussein tried to mitigate the situation by denying the allegations. “The baby did not die in custody but at the hospital,” he stated, urging the public to wait for the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to complete their inquiry. “The DCI is handling the matter, and we will know the truth soon.”
Locals are now calling for justice on the issue and accountability for the officers involved.
The family of the woman also claims to be receiving threats from police in an attempt to silence them.
