Eric Otieno left his Mathare neighbourhood as a young boda boda rider trying to earn a living, but within two days, he had been arrested, detained at Muthaiga Police Station, released with serious injuries and pronounced dead at hospital.

Otieno, whose age has been reported as either 19 or 20, operated as a boda boda rider in the Mathare and Thika Road area of Nairobi.

His relatives and neighbours described him as a young man who depended on the motorcycle transport business for his livelihood.

Saturday, August 1, 2026: Otieno is arrested

Otieno was arrested along Thika Road on Saturday, August 1, on suspicion of preparation to commit a felony.

Police officers took him to Muthaiga Police Station, where he was booked and placed in custody.

His family says he was healthy and had no visible injuries when he was arrested.

The exact circumstances that led officers to accuse him of preparing to commit a felony have not been publicly explained, and no details have been released about any items allegedly recovered from him.

August 1 to August 2: Detention at Muthaiga Police Station

Otieno remained inside the police station from Saturday until late Sunday.

His relatives say that during this period, police initially demanded Sh10,000 as cash bail before reducing the amount to Sh6,000.

The family says it was later contacted and informed that Otieno could be collected from the station.

Police have stated that he was released on cash bail, although questions remain about what happened to him during the hours he spent in custody.

Sunday, August 2, 2026, at about 11pm: Family called to collect him

Otieno’s relatives say they were called at around 11pm on Sunday and told to collect him from Muthaiga Police Station.

When they arrived, they found him in severe pain and in a significantly different physical condition from when he had been arrested.

According to his brother, Emmanuel Sakis, Otieno complained that his stomach and the rest of his body were painful.

The family says Otieno told them that the officers who had arrested him had beaten him.

His relatives also reported that he was experiencing pain around his ribs and abdomen and appeared unable to move normally.

Sunday night: Otieno is rushed to hospital

After collecting him from the station, family members attempted to take Otieno to hospital for emergency treatment.

His condition deteriorated while he was being transported.

He was taken to Mama Margaret Uhuru Hospital in Kariobangi, where medical personnel pronounced him dead on arrival.

The young rider had died only a short time after leaving police custody.

Monday, August 3: Family begins demanding answers

News of Otieno’s death spread through Mathare and among boda boda riders who knew him.

His family demanded an explanation from Muthaiga Police Station about how a young man who had entered the station in good health had left with severe injuries and died before receiving treatment.

The death also attracted the attention of human-rights activists and residents who began calling for an independent investigation.

Questions were raised about why Otieno had been released at approximately 11pm despite his visible medical condition and why officers had not taken him directly to hospital.

Post-mortem examination reveals internal injuries

A post-mortem examination later established that Otieno had sustained multiple injuries caused by blunt-force trauma.

The examination found that he died from internal haemorrhage after suffering serious injuries to his body.

Reports indicated that approximately two litres of blood had accumulated inside his abdomen, pointing to extensive internal bleeding.

The findings contradicted any suggestion that Otieno had simply fallen ill after his release and opened the possibility of a murder investigation.

August 4: Residents protest at Muthaiga Police Station

Residents, boda boda riders, activists and members of Otieno’s family gathered outside Muthaiga Police Station to demand accountability.

The demonstrators called on police to identify the officers who had arrested and detained Otieno and explain what happened inside the station.

The group was addressed by the Starehe Sub-County Police Commander, who asked protesters to remain calm and allow investigations to proceed.

Police said no property was damaged and no injuries were reported during the demonstration.

IPOA enters the case

The family asked the Independent Policing Oversight Authority to investigate Otieno’s arrest, detention, injuries and death.

IPOA officials indicated that the authority would pursue the matter and examine the circumstances surrounding the death.

The investigation is expected to include reviewing the station’s occurrence book, custody records, bail records, CCTV footage and statements from officers who arrested, booked and guarded Otieno.

Investigators may also seek statements from other detainees who were held at Muthaiga Police Station during the same period.

Police announce possible murder investigation

Following the post-mortem findings, police authorities said the evidence had created grounds for a possible murder investigation.

Nairobi Police Commander Issa Mohamud confirmed that the incident was under investigation.

Police have not publicly identified or suspended any officers in connection with Otieno’s injuries and death.

No officer had been arrested or charged by the time the family began its public campaign for justice.

Questions investigators must answer

The investigation must establish who arrested Otieno along Thika Road, where he was taken immediately after the arrest and which officers handled him during his detention.

It must also establish whether he was assaulted inside a police vehicle, at Muthaiga Police Station or at another location before his release.

The station’s CCTV footage could show Otieno’s physical condition when he arrived, his movements while in custody and his condition when his family collected him.

Custody records may also establish which officers were on duty, who authorised his late-night release and whether anyone recorded that he required medical attention.

The post-mortem has already established that Otieno suffered fatal internal injuries caused by blunt force.

The remaining question is who inflicted those injuries and whether any officers attempted to conceal what happened before he was released to his family.

Eric Otieno’s life ended within hours of leaving Muthaiga Police Station, turning an ordinary Saturday arrest into another investigation involving a young Kenyan who entered police custody alive and left with injuries that proved fatal.