Kariobangi Social Justice Centre Decries the Return of Torture and Extrajudicial Killings

The Kariobangi Social Justice Centre strongly condemns the continued cases of torture, enforced disappearances, and extrajudicial killings associated with police operations and detention facilities in Kenya. These incidents represent a grave violation of the Constitution, international human rights obligations, and the fundamental right to life and dignity that every Kenyan is entitled to enjoy.

The tragic death of David Kiiru has once again exposed the urgent need for accountability within the country’s policing institutions. According to information available to the family, Kiiru was arrested on May 16, 2026, at his workplace alongside two other individuals and taken to Kariobangi North Police Station. Following his arrest, his family reportedly lost contact with him and were left searching for answers. Days later, on May 24, they learned of his death under circumstances that remain deeply troubling and require immediate, transparent, and independent investigation.

This incident comes barely a year after the death of Albert Ojwang while in police custody at Nairobi’s Central Police Station, a case that sparked national outrage and renewed calls for reforms within the security sector. The recurrence of deaths linked to police custody raises serious concerns about whether meaningful lessons have been learned and whether adequate measures have been taken to prevent further violations.

As social justice defenders, we reject the normalization of state violence and the culture of impunity that allows such abuses to persist. Police stations should be places where the law is upheld and citizens are protected, not locations where families lose their loved ones under mysterious circumstances. Every death in custody undermines public trust in law enforcement and weakens the rule of law.

We call upon the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, civil society organizations, and all relevant state agencies to ensure thorough investigations and the prosecution of any officers found culpable. We further demand reparations for affected families, protection of witnesses, and comprehensive reforms aimed at ending torture, enforced disappearances, and extrajudicial killings.

Justice for David Kiiru is justice for all victims of police brutality. The struggle for accountability, human dignity, and respect for human rights must continue until every Kenyan is safe from abuse by those entrusted with enforcing the law.