Villagers burn AP camp over suspect's death

The Busia home that was burnt down by villagers after a suspect died in police custody. [Ignatius Odanga, Standard]

Angry residents of Butula burnt down Malambisia AP camp in protest after a man allegedly died while in police custody.

The family of the 20-year-old Carston Wafula had earlier accused the police of killing their son, hours after he was arrested by officers from Malambisia.

Wafula's body was found in the cell at 8am yesterday, his left hand cuffed to the grill and a bed sheet wrapped around his neck.

Jarston Barasa said his son was arrested at 4am on Saturday over a recent defilement of a girl.

The home of the girl who was allegedly defiled was also reduced to ashes by an irate public. Police officers who visited the scene refused to comment on the matter.

Barasa said Wafula was full of life when police picked him. “They clobbered him with gun butts. I pleaded with them to stop but they chased me away,” he said.

”When I went to the station to give him clothes, I was chased away only to be called later and told he was dead," he said. Juma claimed police killed his son and wants the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (Ipoa) to investigate the matter.

In 2017, Burinda AP Camp was also burnt down after police killed a boda boda rider.