By Habil Onyango
Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga and Suba North MP Millie Odhiambo have called for swift investigations into the death of a fisherman in a police holding cell at the Kipasi Police Post in Homa Bay.
The leaders expressed concern over the rising number of suspects found dead in police custody, emphasising the urgent need for thorough investigations to uncover the truth behind these incidents.
Calvince Omondi Onditi, 35, was found dead in the holding cell at the Kipasi Police Post, with authorities claiming it was a case of suicide.
Onditi was arrested by the local chief around 3 a.m. on Sunday, June 15, after he was discovered in a goat pen near a homestead close to Ndhuru Trading Centre.
He was taken into custody on allegations of bestiality before being handed over to the police for further processing.
“I call for a swift investigation into the death of this fisherman at Kipasi Police Station, where he allegedly hung himself. People cannot continue to die in police stations, a place where they expect safety. Nowadays, if something happens to anyone, they would rush to the police station, but with the current trends, these stations are no longer safe for our people,” Wanga said.
Millie called for a thorough investigation to determine the cause of Onditi’s death.
She urged the public to remain calm while awaiting the results of the post-mortem report to ascertain the cause of death, whether it was suicide or if he had been killed by the police.
Millie added, “I have information that the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has already visited the station and taken over the case. If it is found that the suspect was murdered by police in the holding cells, action must be taken against the involved officers.
As a lawyer, I will follow up the case until Onditi receives justice,” she said.
Homa Bay County Police Commander Lawrence Koilim said Onditi, a fisherman from Ndhiwa Constituency, was found hanging from the roof of his cell using a trouser fashioned into a noose.
According to medical reports from Homa Bay Teaching and Referral Hospital, where the body has been preserved, there were signs of strangulation, including a trouser string around the deceased’s neck, and marks indicating strangulation, while his tongue appeared to be bitten.
The report further noted that there were no other visible marks on the body.
