This archive report was first published on 2 September 2019.
On September 2, 2019, a 24-year-old Kenyan man, Muchangi Ireri, died under mysterious circumstances in a police cell in Embu County.
Ireri was arrested the previous night for allegedly stealing from Salvation Army Kigumo Corps (church) in Embu East sub-county.
According to Pastor Dickson Mugendi, the church's leader, Ireri was caught stealing from the church kitchen after the pastor's wife laid a trap to catch the thief.
“On that night I went to sleep at around 9.30 pm. My wife hid in the kitchen where she remained praying to God for intervention over the theft of foodstuff and a chicken a few days earlier. The man entered the kitchen around 10.30 pm. She closed the door and screamed for help. Neighbors responded and arrested him,” Pastor Mugendi said.
Ireri was taken to the Kigumo Police Post and detained. However, the next day, police informed the church that Ireri had died.
Embu East Deputy OCPD Michael Wachira confirmed the incident and stated that an autopsy would be conducted to determine the cause of Ireri's death.
