Rwandan Beaten to Death by Kenya Prison Warders

{{Prisoners in Kericho on Sunday accused warders of beating an inmate to death because he had objected to a body search.}}

The inmates at Kericho Main Prison went on the rampage last Friday and refused to eat after Ceaser Desire, a Rwandan, died in hospital after he was allegedly beaten up by warders.

The claimed the Rwandan national, who had been convicted of stealing a vehicle in February last year, was clubbed to death by prison warders after he objected to being searched by the officers.

Gabriel Mogoi Nderi, who spoke to journalists in the presence of the prison’s boss Hassan Wafula and Kericho county police commandant Rose Muchuma, alleged that the warders later threw Desire into a cell where they left him for dead.

“He was rushed out later by the concerned warders when he was dead and taken to the mortuary without the involvement of the police as required by the law,” he said.

He went on: “The Constitution is clear that any person in lawful custody retains all the fundamental rights and freedoms it provides. Everyone is equal before the law and we must be respected.”

Mr Wafula, however, denied the claims that his officers beat Desire to death, saying the inmate fell sick on Thursday night and taken to Kericho District Hospital.

“The law does not condone any form of torture on prisoners and remandees. It is unacceptable and any warded caught in such an act will have to carry his or her own cross,” he said.

Mr Muchuma pledged to involve the Rwandan Embassy in the postmortem of Desire’s body.

She said they would investigate the claims of torture and disciplinary action would be taken against prison warders implicated in Desire’s death.

Investigations on this issue will commence under the supervision of the Kericho County Criminal Investigations officer and you are free to record your statements,” she told the inmates.

{agencies}