Family of Simon Warui demands justice after his death in Mombasa police custody amid suspicious injuries

The family of Simon Warui, who died last week while being held at Mombasa Central Police Station, is demanding clear answers from authorities, accusing police of withholding critical information.

Warui, who had earlier been reported missing from Nairobi’s Umoja I Estate, was found dead under unclear circumstances, with visible injuries on his neck and head. His disappearance had initially been reported at Kamukunji Police Station.

According to his wife, Mary Njeri, the family was not informed of how he travelled to Mombasa or why he was in custody. “We don’t know how he got there, and the injuries he had raise even more questions,” she said.

Three days after his disappearance, the family says they received a phone call from a church security guard along Nkrumah Road in Mombasa, who informed them that Warui had been booked at Mombasa Central Police Station. However, when they visited the station, they claim they were denied details of his whereabouts and were instead referred to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).

Warui’s brother, Anthony Kariuki, questioned why the family was never notified of his transfer to hospital or the morgue. “Who took him there, and what happened to his phone, which we still cannot trace?” he asked.

A post-mortem conducted at Coast General Hospital revealed that Warui died from lack of oxygen. The report noted injuries on his neck and hands, alongside blackened fingers.

Human rights activist Khalid Hussein of Vocal Africa has demanded the immediate suspension of officers who were on duty during the night Warui died. “A week has passed with no action taken. The OCS and officers on duty should already have been suspended to allow investigations,” he said.

He further criticized the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), saying Kenyans were losing trust in its work. IPOA on Monday confirmed it had launched investigations into Warui’s death.

The family is now calling for accountability, saying justice must be served to restore public confidence in security agencies.