Nyandarua: Sorrow as Pregnant Woman Mistreated by Police Officers Gives Birth in Cell, Baby Dies

• Protests erupted in Kinangop, Nyandarua county, after a pregnant woman reportedly gave birth in a police cell and lost her baby due to lack of medical attention
• The incident was raised in the Senate by Nyandarua senator John Methu, who condemned the police for negligence
• The senator demanded answers from the Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja, who appeared before Parliament for questioning over the matter

TUKO.co.ke journalist Harry Ivan Mboto has over three years of experience reporting on politics and current affairs in Kenya

Nyandarua: Kinangop residents took to the streets in anguish and fury after a pregnant woman allegedly gave birth in a police cell in Rwanyambo, a tragedy that ended with the baby's death.

The incident occurred in Kinangop, where a woman, said to be six to seven months pregnant, was reportedly detained at Rwanyambo Police Station.

Wangari allegedly pleaded with police officers to allow her access to medical attention, but her requests were denied.

The matter came to light in parliament when Nyandarua senator John Methu raised it before the August House.

Nyandarua woman loses baby in police cell

Addressing the Inspector General of Police, Douglas Kanja, who was present for a grilling session, Methu expressed dismay over what he termed as police negligence.

“Let me inform you, Mr Speaker, that in my county, a pregnant woman was arrested and detained in a police station called Rwanyambo. She was about six to seven months pregnant,” said Methu.

According to the senator, the woman went into labour while still in the cell, and with no medical help provided, the baby tragically died shortly after birth.

“She was crying to the police officers to help her get medical support. This morning, the people of Rwanyambo woke up to the horrific scene of the pregnant woman in that cell with her dead baby, whom she delivered there,” Methu told the House.

The senator condemned the incident and demanded swift investigations and accountability from the police service.

Throughout the day, residents gathered outside the police station, demanding answers about the distressing screams they had heard the previous night.

“When we heard the screams while at work, we all rushed here and found out that the woman had been arrested the previous day. She ended up giving birth inside the cell because the officers refused to open it,” said one of the villagers.

The irate residents called for a female police officer to be deployed at the station and demanded a separate holding cell for women.

Wangari, along with the body of her child, was later taken to Engineer Sub-County Hospital.

What happened to Albert Ojwang' in police cell?

This came hot on the heels of a similar case that has shocked the country, that of blogger and X influencer Albert Omondi Ojwang’, who died while in police custody.

Ojwang’ was arrested over allegations of posting defamatory content about Deputy Inspector General of Police, Eliud Lagat.

He was taken into custody in Homa Bay before being transported all the way to Nairobi, where he later died at Central Police Station.

Proofreading by Asher Omondi, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.

Source: TUKO.co.ke