Meru police accused of beating teenager to death

A family in Meru is seeking justice after their 19-year-old teenager was allegedly beaten to death by police officers.

The family said the teenager, Spencer Thuranira, was struck several times in his head by police officers in Maua town two weeks ago after a riot.

A post-mortem, conducted by Chief Government Pathologist Johansen Oduor at the Nyambene Sub-county Hospital mortuary, showed that Spencer succumbed to head injuries.

“I found severe injury to the head, which caused swelling of the brain. The cause of death is head injury due to a blunt trauma.

"I have handed the report to the police for investigations,” Dr Oduor said.

Distraught family members and friends are now calling for a thorough investigation into the matter.

The victim’s brother, Mutembei Mwithalii, claimed Spencer was on his way to buy medicine for their mother when he met police officers who had mounted a roadblock at Modern Two area.

“Before he died, he said he was beaten by police,” Mutembei said.

Family members said Spencer, who completed his secondary education last year and scored a B+, had dreams of becoming an engineer and was waiting for Covid-19 pandemic to ease before joining college.

Igembe South police boss Henry Akong’o said the case was handed over to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.

 “The matter is under investigation and if he was beaten up by police, the truth will come out,” Mr Akong’o said.