Officer commits suicide at Central police station in Nairobi

Central Police Station in Nairobi where the deceased worked. [PHOTO: FILE]

By CYRUS OMBATI

NAIROBI COUNTY: A police officer Sunday morning committed suicide in his house at the Central police station, Nairobi.

Constable Elisha Keli’s body was found hanging from a rope in his house. His two children, who were in the house, woke up to find the body in his bedroom.

Officials said Mr Keli, who was in his early 50s, had been sickly.

His wife was not present at the time of the incident as she had travelled to their rural home.

Keli had a chat with his children on Saturday before they went to sleep only for them to wake up the following day to find him dead. His body was later moved to the mortuary.

Nairobi police boss Benson Kibue said investigations into the incident have been launched. He described Keli as a hardworking officer.

Most junior police officers live in squalor and given that more officers have been sent to the stations after graduation from colleges, the conditions are bound to get worse.

Meanwhile, more than 300 junior officers have been transferred from Nairobi in new changes. Most of the officers had overstayed in Nairobi that necessitated the changes, police bosses said.

They have been transferred to other stations in North Eastern, Moyale, Central and Eastern. A new group which include those who graduated from police colleges in Kiganjo and Administration Police Training in Embakasi has been brought in.

Police boss David Kimaiyo said they have enhanced operations in Nairobi and other places to ensure safety of Kenyans.

“The changes are normal and aimed at enhancing police operations that are going on. We are here to serve Kenyans,” said Kimaiyo.

Their operations have also been boosted by the donation of more than 41 vehicles for General Service Unit (17) and Administration Police (24) to enhance mobility. The vehicles include four land rovers and lorries.

He urged for cooperation from the public to tame planned attacks like terrorism and robberies.

Kimaiyo added the ongoing security operation in the country has disrupted several planned criminal activities.