The death of Julie Njoki, a 24-year-old woman who died while in state custody, has drawn sharp public scrutiny and renewed protests in Nanyuki, as Kenya’s National Police Service moved on Monday to distance itself from allegations of brutality.
Njoki had been arrested on July 7 — Saba Saba Day — alongside 125 others during a wave of anti-government protests. According to a police statement released Monday afternoon, she was charged with malicious damage to property and appeared in court the next day, where she pleaded guilty.
Unable to raise the KSh50,000 bail set by the court, she was remanded at the Nanyuki Prison.
But days later, she was dead.
On Monday, The Standard newspaper published a front-page story that appeared to suggest police officers may have played a role in Njoki’s death. A photo of the young woman accompanied a caption stating that after a standoff between the National Police and the Prisons Service, the latter admitted Njoki died while in their custody—though they claimed she had arrived already injured.
The report sparked immediate reaction from the public. In Nanyuki, residents took to the streets to demand answers, with Njoki’s grandmother leading calls for justice. “They tortured my granddaughter,” she told local reporters, surrounded by mourners and placards.
In response, the National Police Service issued a firm denial, calling the report misleading.
“The attention of the National Police Service has been drawn to a report published in The Standard Newspaper on 14th July 2025… alleging police misconduct,” read the statement.
Police confirmed Njoki’s arrest and court appearance, but stressed that no formal complaints had been lodged against any officers involved.
“To date, no formal complaint has been recorded alleging any misconduct—whether by commission or omission,” the statement read. “Nevertheless, the relevant agencies will conduct swift, transparent, and credible investigations… and accountability will follow.”
Despite the police assurance, questions remain unanswered—chief among them, how and when Njoki sustained injuries that ultimately led to her death.
The Prisons Service, for its part, has not publicly issued a detailed account of her final hours but has reportedly admitted she died in their custody.
The conflicting accounts between police and prison officials have only added to the anger on the streets. Protesters in Nanyuki lit candles and held posters with Njoki’s face, chanting for justice and transparency.
As the protests continue and investigations begin to unfold, the name Julie Njoki has quickly become another flashpoint in Kenya’s ongoing national reckoning with police accountability and the treatment of citizens in custody.
What happened to her remains under investigation—but for many in Nanyuki, the damage has already been done.