Police in Embu County are investigating an incident where a man accused of stealing from a pastor's house was found dead inside a police station holding cell.
24-year-old Muchangi Ireri was found stealing from a kitchen belonging to Dickson Mugendi, a preacher at the Salvation Army Kigumo Corps, on Thursday.
He was arrested and locked up at Kigumo Police Post, only to be found dead on Friday by officers on duty.
The incident was confirmed by Embu East Deputy OCPD Michael Wachira.
The police boss said that investigations have been launched in a bid to establish the cause of death.
Mugendi told the Standard that he and his wife laid a trap to nab the suspected thief after repeatedly stealing from them, and later handed him to the police.
"On that night I went to sleep at around 9.30am. My wife hid in the kitchen where she remained praying to God for intervention over the theft of foodstuff and a chicken a few days earlier. The man entered the kitchen around 10.30pm. She closed the door and screamed for help. Neighbours responded and arrested him,” he said.
The body of the deceased was taken to the Runyenjes Mortuary.