Police Brutality Exposed: Officers Jailed 40 Years After Suspect Dies in Cell Horror
Two Kenyan police officers have been handed a combined 40-year prison sentence after being found guilty of murdering a suspect inside a police cell—an incident that has intensified scrutiny over alleged brutality within the force.
In a ruling that underscores growing judicial intolerance for custodial deaths, the court convicted Police Corporal James Ogwagwa Nyakina and Police Constable Jackson Kirui Kipngeno over the killing of Amos Kemosi Kereri at Nyamatoki Police Post in Nyamira County.
Kereri died on August 19, 2019, just hours after his arrest and detention, in what prosecutors described as a brutal assault carried out while he was under police protection.
According to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), Nyakina was sentenced to 30 years in prison, while Kipngeno received a 10-year term—bringing the total sentence to four decades behind bars.
Court proceedings revealed that the two officers had participated in Kereri’s arrest during a night patrol before turning on him once he was locked in custody. Prosecutors told the court that the officers subjected the suspect to severe physical assault inside the cell, ultimately causing fatal injuries.
“The deceased was under the full control and protection of the officers at the time of the assault,” the prosecution argued, adding that the actions of the accused constituted a clear abuse of power and a violation of the victim’s rights.
Kereri was rushed to hospital the following morning but was pronounced dead on arrival, with medical findings linking his death directly to injuries sustained in custody.
The prosecution built a compelling case using testimony from 14 witnesses, who pieced together the final hours of the victim and detailed the conduct of the officers on duty. The court found that the evidence proved beyond reasonable doubt that the two officers had jointly participated in the unlawful killing.
The sentencing comes amid increasing concern over police conduct in Kenya, particularly in cases involving deaths in custody.
In a separate but equally shocking ruling earlier this year, the High Court in Mombasa sentenced former Likoni OCS Yunus Athman to life imprisonment for the 2018 killing of 20-year-old Mbaraka Maitha Omar.
Delivering judgment, Lady Justice Wendy Kagendo Micheni said the officer had betrayed his sworn duty to protect life, instead using excessive and unlawful force against an unarmed civilian.
“The accused, as a police officer, had a statutory obligation to safeguard the life of the deceased but chose to do the exact opposite,” she said.
That case, which relied on testimony from more than 20 witnesses, dismissed claims that the victim posed any threat—further fueling public outrage over the use of force by law enforcement.
The back-to-back rulings are likely to reignite debate over accountability within Kenya’s police service, as pressure mounts for systemic reforms and stronger oversight mechanisms.
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