The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has broken its silence over the death of Dennis Aremo Osiemo, whose body was found hanging inside a police cell at Narumoru Police Station days after his arrest.
In a statement posted on its official pages, the DCI said Osiemo was arrested in Kisii on September 18, 2026, in connection with an assault case before being transferred to Narumoru Police Station the following day.
The statement comes after images and claims surrounding Osiemo’s death circulated widely on social media, raising questions about the circumstances leading to his death while in police custody. The DCI said Osiemo’s arrest followed investigations into an alleged assault reported at Narumoru Police Station. The complaint related to an incident on July 2, 2026, when Osiemo, a former farmhand of the complainant, was accused of attacking her at her home and stabbing her several times before fleeing.
The complainant was subsequently admitted to Tumutumu Hospital, where she remained for nine days. The matter was later brought to the attention of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions in Nanyuki, which directed the DCI to take over the investigations.
According to the DCI, the case file was forwarded to the Kieni East Sub-County Criminal Investigations Office on September 3, after which detectives traced Osiemo to Kisii, where he was reportedly hiding.
He was arrested on September 18 with the assistance of detectives from Masaba North and initially booked at Keroka Police Station before being collected by officers from Kieni East. He was booked at Narumoru Police Station on September 19. The DCI said Osiemo was processed and his statement recorded before he was returned to the cells. The agency said he appeared to be in normal condition at the time. He was scheduled to be taken to court on Monday, September 21, over the assault allegations.
However, on Sunday, September 20, Osiemo was found hanging from the ventilation grills inside the police cell.
The DCI said the scene was processed in the presence of officers from the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), senior police officers and one of Osiemo’s relatives. His body was later taken to Narumoru Mortuary pending an autopsy.
The DCI confirmed that IPOA has taken over investigations into the death and said it would fully cooperate with the independent inquiry. The agency has also urged the public to await the outcome of the investigation and rely on verified information instead of unconfirmed claims circulating online.
The IPOA inquiry is expected to establish the circumstances surrounding Osiemo’s death while in police custody.
