Calls for justice as autopsy confirms man was beaten to death in custody
Crime and Justice
By
Daniel Chege
| Apr 09, 2026
Bernard Cheruiyot, who died inside the cell at Keringet Police Station on March 29, 2026. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]
Mystery surrounds the death of a 33-year-old man inside Keringet Police Station, Nakuru County, after a post-mortem report revealed that Bernard Cheruiyot was beaten to death.
Dr Titus Ngulungu, a pathologist who examined the body at Olenguruone mortuary on Monday evening, said Cheruiyot suffered injuries and bruises to almost every part of his body.
Ngulungu maintained that his injuries were only consistent with fatal assault and not self-inflicted, as per the police report released after, Cheruiyot died on March 29.
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“It is unlikely that the injuries the deceased suffered on the head, back, lower back, limbs and thighs were self-inflicted.
‘‘He was beaten with either fists or kicks or a soft blunt object with a flat surface,” said Ngulungu.
Ngulungu also claimed that the post-mortem showed that Cheruiyot was tortured as his hands and legs were tied, evidenced by bruises and markings on his body.
He said that both outer and internal injuries showed that Cheruiyot was thoroughly beaten and his brain was damaged, causing his death.
“His head was swollen and had blood clots, something we refer to as a contusion, that was the cause of his death,” said Ngulungu.
The late Bernard Cheruiyot’s widow Faith Chebet addresses the Press at Olenguruone Mortuary in Nakuru County, on April 8, 2026. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]
The report contrasts that of the police, who had claimed that Cheruiyot hit his head against the cell walls, fatally injuring himself.
Faith Chebet, one of Cheruiyot’s wives, maintained that when he was arrested on March 27, he was well, and the only thing he complained about was feeling cold.
“He was shivering, and I gave him tea. We visited him on March 28 and stayed with him until 10 pm. I wanted to take him to the hospital, but the police officers on duty refused,” she said.
She said that one of the officers told her that they had received instructions from a local authorities that the deceased should not return to his Kimororoch village, under any circumstances, once arrested.
Chebet said that, true to the claim by the officer, the following morning, they found him dead at Keringet sub-County Hospital, with multiple injuries.
The widow wondered how her husband could have been beaten for so long inside a police cell, while police officers were on duty.
She wondered how police could not heed the cry of a man being assaulted in a police cell, until he inflicted injuries that led to his death.
“I want to know what killed my husband because even what the police told us is not true. I want justice,” she said.
David Kuria, a human rights defender, complained that there were so many incidents of deaths in police cells, and Kenyans always get the same story.
He claimed that even after many cases being reported and families calling for justice, nothing has been done, and the cases remain mysteries.
“This man was beaten. I believe he may have screamed for help if he was being assaulted by his fellow inmates. Who was manning the cell, and how could they leave a man to be assaulted to death?” asked Kuria.
He said that the stories were not adding up, and unless serious investigations are conducted by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority , then police would have succeeded in covering up a murder.
“The deceased was in the police cell, alongside nine other people. We understand that some of them have been arrested, while others were released under unclear circumstances,” said Kuria.
Further, Kuria urged IPOA to arrest and question all the police officers who were on duty when Cheruiyot was allegedly assaulted.
Although the police have been put on the spot, they have confirmed that out of the nine cellmates, three had been arrested and will be charged with murder, three were turned out to be state witnesses, and three had been released.
Cheruiyot was arrested by the members of the public and village elders and was to be charged for threatening to kill a neighbour.