Man who failed to raise Sh200 fine dies in police cell

A 30-year- old man who died in Pangani Police Station cells today morning was in custody for failing to raise Sh200 fine imposed on him at the Makadara Law Courts.

The police boss said Robert Mureithi was given an option of a fine or seven days in jail after he was arrested last week for breaking curfew rules.

Law enforcers said since the deceased could not raise the amount, they were forced to hold him at the station while the court issued commitments so that he can be processed to go to remand.

“The deceased was arrested last week for breaking curfew rules, he appeared in court for a virtual session at Makadara Law Courts on Friday around 3pm and had to be returned to the station,” Starehe police boss Julius Kiragu told The Standard.

Mureithi reportedly collapsed in the cells on Sunday, July 11, where he was being held since Friday, July 9.

"The officer commanding the station checked on the inmates at 7am and found someone (Robert Mureithi) had collapsed. He then notified the doctors, but when they arrived, he was already dead," Kiragu said.

Before, there had been conflicting reports that the man could have collapsed following a scuffle among the inmates over alleged overcrowding mostly during night hours when more suspects arrested for various criminal activities are booked.

However, Starehe police boss revealed the deceased was to be released on Friday after appearing in court.

 “It not true that there was a scuffle in the station also already claimed, otherwise some inmates could have been reported injured. At the station, we have an officer on night duty who keeps checking all the activities in the cells” added Kiragu.

Mureithi’s body has been taken to City Mortuary for postmortem to ascertain the cause of his death and start the process of tracing his family.