A 40-year-old man, arrested in Kagio Town, Kirinyaga County, on allegations of killing his wife, has died by suicide while in custody at Kiamaciri Police Station in Mwea-West Sub-county.
According to Mwea West Sub-county Police Commander Rashid Ali, the suspect, identified as John Mugendi, used his t-shirt to hang himself in the station's holding cell. The tragic incident occurred as officers were on duty.
Mugendi was taken into custody on November 17, 2024, after being accused of fatally stabbing his wife, Catherine Wanjiku, who was also 40 years old.
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Following his arrest, he was arraigned at Baricho Law Courts, where authorities secured permission to detain him until December 9, 2024, to facilitate investigations.
The incident coincided with Wanjiku's burial at Kiaragana village in Ndia Constituency.
Addressing the growing concerns about mental health, Millicent Nyawira, a member of the Kirinyaga County Executive Committee (CEC) for Gender and Youth, emphasized the county's commitment to combating the crisis.
She highlighted that Governor Anne Waiguru's administration has implemented a mental health initiative across all health facilities, featuring the deployment of professional counselors to provide much-needed support.
