Family Seeks Answers After Student’s Death in Kiambu Police Cell

A family in Kiambu County is seeking an independent probe into the death of a student who reportedly took his own life while in police custody at Kiambu Police Station under what they consider questionable and contradictory circumstances.
The deceased, named by relatives as Brian Njunge Ndungu, was an architecture student at Kiambu National Polytechnic (KINAP) who had recently relocated to an apartment in the Kiambu region. His family stated he was detained on suspicion of stealing household items from a neighbor.
Speaking outside the police station, Brian’s sister, Claire Njambi, recounted the chain of events that led to her family’s devastating discovery of his body in a police cell.
Claire described how the situation began early in the morning when her brother received a call from a man identifying himself as a Criminal Investigations Department (CID) officer, now called the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI). She claimed the caller questioned her brother about Brian before abruptly ending the call following a disagreement.
Subsequently, their mother received a call informing her that Brian had been arrested and held at Kiambu Police Station over allegations that he had stolen a MacBook laptop, a gas cylinder, a computer mouse, and two umbrellas from a neighbor.
The family promptly traveled to the station and arrived just before noon.
“We requested to see my brother immediately upon arrival, but we were instructed to wait and assured we would eventually get to see him,” Claire said.
She alleged that while waiting outside an office at the station, they observed officers and another man believed to be a caretaker laughing and engaged in what seemed like casual conversation.
According to the family, the mood shifted when two womenone identified as a chaplain and another who introduced herself as a counselorentered the office and began speaking with them in what appeared to be grief counseling before they had been informed about Brian’s condition.
Claire claimed the counselor spoke generally about suicide cases involving male students before finally informing them that Brian had died.
“She asked my mother what news would shock her the most, and after my mother mentioned death, she responded by saying that was precisely what had occurred,” Claire alleged.
The family was then guided to the holding cells where they found Brian alone in a cell, suspended against a wall.
Claire reported they noticed blood stains on his clothing, indications of bleeding from his nose, and excessive sweating on his body, prompting doubts about the circumstances of his death.
“He was alone in the cell with two mattresses and a cut jerrycan. We do not believe we have been given the complete truth,” she said.
The deceased’s mother, Susan Wambui, became emotional while discussing the loss of her son, describing him as a reserved young man who had no motive to steal the items authorities claimed were missing.
“My son already possessed his own computer. We even retrieved it from his residence. He used a small cooker and did not require a gas cylinder,” she said.
Wambui demanded that investigations must be conducted thoroughly and transparently.
“I seek justice for my son. We have received no proper explanation except being told he committed suicide,” she said.
The family also raised concerns about inconsistencies regarding the alleged complainant and the apartment where the supposed theft took place.
According to Claire, police informed them that the complainant resided on the ground floor while Brian lived on the first floor. However, after visiting the apartment themselves, the family claimed they discovered that the complainant actually occupied the first floor while Brian lived on the second floor.
Claire also questioned the identity of the supposed caretaker who initially contacted the family, noting that some tenants later informed them the apartment seldom had a caretaker.
Brian had reportedly moved into the apartment just three weeks prior and was preparing to continue his studies after completing part of his architecture program.
His brother, Alan Karanja, accused station officers of mistreating Brian during detention and demanded accountability from authorities.
The distressed family members appealed to the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) and other investigative bodies to conduct independent inquiries into the incident.
By Friday evening, police had not publicly released a comprehensive account of the events leading to the student’s death. The family stated they had already provided statements and filed an Occurrence Book (OB) report as they seek justice for their relative.