Strengthening Forensic Documentation: Advancing Justice and Accountability Amid Rising Deaths in Custody.

Nairobi, Kenya, 6th November 2025

Kenya is confronting a deeply troubling rise in deaths occurring in police custody, a crisis that highlights systemic failings within the nation's justice and accountability mechanisms. According to the Independent Medico-Legal Unit (IMLU), at least 17 custodial deaths have been documented between 2024 and 2025 across facilities in over 10 counties, including Nairobi, Nakuru and Mombasa. This forms part of a broader pattern, with IMLU recording 59 deaths through forensic documentation in 2025 alone. Postmortem examinations conducted by IMLU’s network of pathologists reveal harrowing patterns of injury and neglect, with causes of death ranging from cardiorespiratory failure due to multiple injuries and asphyxiation to severe head trauma, all pointing towards physical assault, possible staged suicides, and a critical lack of timely medical care. Each case represents not just a personal tragedy but a violation of constitutional rights, including the right to life and freedom from torture.

In response to this ongoing impunity, where investigations routinely stall and families are denied answers, IMLU has convened a critical three-day forensic training for pathologists and lawyers, supported by the International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT). Facilitated by leading international experts, including Prof. Dr Djordje Alempijevic, a member of the UN Subcommittee on the Prevention of Torture, and Prof. James Lin of the IRCT, the workshop aims to strengthen local capacity in forensic documentation using internationally recognised standards, such as the Istanbul Protocol. This initiative is especially urgent given the stalled implementation of the National Coroner Services Act (2017), which remains inactive due to administrative gaps, notably the absence of a designated Cabinet Secretary for Justice. This delay leaves investigations under the control of police and state pathologists, undermining impartiality. IMLU, alongside its partners, continues to advocate for the urgent operationalization of an independent coroner system to ensure every death in custody is properly investigated, families receive closure, and perpetrators are held accountable, moving Kenya toward a future where accountability is the standard, not an afterthought.

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