The Independent Policing Oversight Authority has opened investigations into the death of a young boda boda rider who died while in police custody in Nairobi County, raising fresh concern about how suspects are handled after arrest.
The authority confirmed that it is looking into the circumstances surrounding the death of Jack Leon Matoke, who was reported dead only hours after being booked at Kawangware police post.
According to IPOA, the incident occurred on Thursday evening, December 11, when the 23-year-old rider was arrested and taken to the police post at around 7 pm. Later that night, police reported that he had died while alone in his cell.
The sudden nature of his death has drawn public attention and sparked questions, especially because he was in custody for a very short time before he passed away.
In a statement released on Monday, December 15, IPOA said it had already taken several steps to support its investigations. Officers from the authority visited and documented the scene where the incident was reported to have occurred.
They also reached out to the family of the deceased to inform them about the inquiry and to ensure they are updated as the process continues. IPOA noted that keeping the family informed is an important part of ensuring transparency and trust in such sensitive cases.
The oversight body also confirmed that its officials attended a post-mortem examination at the City Mortuary on Monday. The aim was to gather medical findings that could help explain the cause of death.
These results are expected to be released later in the week and are likely to play a key role in shaping the direction of the investigation.
Police accounts have claimed that the young man took his own life while in custody, allegedly using his T-shirt to hang himself while alone in his cell.
However, this explanation has been strongly disputed by the family. Relatives insist that when they viewed the body, he was still wearing the same clothes he had on at the time of arrest, raising doubts about how he could have used them to harm himself.
Further questions were raised by activist Hussein Khalid, who was present during the autopsy. He stated that police later changed their version of events, now claiming that the suspect used a shoestring instead of a T-shirt.
This change in explanation has increased suspicion and concern among the family and members of the public. Reports also indicate that the item allegedly used in the suicide has not been produced as evidence.
One family member described seeing marks on Jack’s neck that did not clearly match the explanation given by police. The relative said the marks appeared unusual and questioned where the item used in the alleged suicide was, as it was not visible on the body.
IPOA has stressed that its investigation will be impartial and guided strictly by the law. The authority said it will act independently and without outside influence. Under Section 7 of the IPOA Act, it is required to submit recommendations to relevant state agencies, including the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, if any wrongdoing or liability is established.
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