Police Responds to Allegations Over Julie Njoki’s Death in Custody
The National Police Service (NPS) has officially addressed growing concerns and media reports suggesting that Julie Njoki died as a result of police brutality while in custody.
In a public statement issued on the afternoon of Monday, July 14, the NPS responded to an article published by The Standard newspaper. The story, which appeared on page 4 of the newspaper, seemed to imply that police officers may have played a role in the death of Njoki through the use of excessive force.
“The attention of the National Police Service (NPS) has been drawn to a report published in The Standard Newspaper on 14th July 2025 (Page 4), alleging police misconduct,” the police statement read.
In their response, the police confirmed that Julie Njoki was one of 126 individuals who were arrested in Nanyuki on July 7, during Saba Saba Day demonstrations.
According to the NPS, Njoki was brought to court the next day, on July 8, where she, along with others, was charged at the Nanyuki Law Courts with the offence of malicious damage to property. This charge was filed under Section 339(1) of the Penal Code.
The police further clarified that all those arrested pleaded guilty to the charges and were offered the option of being released on bail set at KSh50,000. However, those who couldn’t afford the bail were to be remanded at Nanyuki Prison. Julie Njoki was among those remanded, as her family could not raise the required bail amount at that time.
Despite confirming these events, the NPS did not disclose the specific cause of Njoki’s death. However, the statement strongly denied that the police were being investigated in connection with her death, dismissing any suggestions of misconduct.
“To date, no formal complaint has been recorded alleging any misconduct—whether by commission or omission,” the police stated.
Nonetheless, the NPS noted that investigations would be conducted by the appropriate authorities. They promised that the process would be carried out in a swift, transparent, and credible manner, and that anyone found responsible would be held accountable.
The controversy intensified after The Standard published an image of the late Njoki in its Monday edition, accompanied by a caption claiming that the Prisons Service had admitted she died while in their custody.
The caption also mentioned that there was a standoff between two state agencies—the Police and the Prisons Service—over who should take responsibility for the death of the 24-year-old woman.
According to the newspaper, the Prisons Service acknowledged that Njoki passed away in their facility but claimed she had already sustained injuries before arriving.
Amid the unfolding controversy, protests erupted in Nanyuki as angry residents took to the streets to demand justice for Njoki. Her grieving grandmother led the demonstrations, accusing law enforcement officers of torturing her granddaughter to death and demanding that those responsible be brought to justice.
The public outcry has added pressure on authorities to provide a clear and truthful account of what happened to Julie Njoki during her time in custody. Calls for accountability and justice continue to grow, with both human rights groups and local leaders demanding an independent investigation.
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