‘Forced ingestion of chillies’: Postmortems reveal torture in Kenyatta Market deaths blamed on police
Autopsies of Daniel Nuthu and James Nzau show blunt force trauma and forced ingestion of maize and chilies, pointing to torture. VOCAL Africa has called for accountability amid police involvement allegations...
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Postmortem examinations have revealed that Daniel Nuthu, 45, and James Nzau, 29, died from severe blunt force trauma and torture after an alleged assault at Kenyatta Market. The findings include evidence that red pepper and maize were forced down their throats, intensifying allegations of police involvement.
- Autopsies confirmed that Nuthu and Nzau died from severe blunt force trauma to the head, causing extensive brain hemorrhaging, along with multiple injuries from beatings.
- VOCAL Africa, a human rights organization, attended the postmortems and claims the torture included forced ingestion of red pepper and maize, with allegations pointing to police officers as suspects.
- The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has launched an investigation into the officers' conduct, following calls from VOCAL Africa for swift arrests and transparent prosecutions.
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Probes Launched into Deaths in Kenyatta Market, Nairobi Street Families, and Mwenda Mbijiwe's Disappearance - February 2026
Postmortem exams revealed that Daniel Nuthu, 45, and James Nzau, 29, died from severe blunt force trauma and torture after an alleged assault at Kenyatta Market, with findings showing red pepper and maize were forced down their throats, intensifying allegations of police involvement. In a separate case, the Kenyan government has launched an investigation into the deaths of nine people believed to be part of Nairobi's street families following their mass burial on January 29, 2026. The probe aims to confirm their identities and causes of death. Additionally, the mother of missing security analyst Mwenda Mbijiwe has pressured the government to account for his disappearance from nearly five years ago. During a habeas corpus hearing, she claimed he was abducted by State agents and accused the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) of stonewalling.
