NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 13 — Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja has ordered the immediate interdiction of police officers who are on duty whenever a suspect dies in police custody, pending investigations into the circumstances surrounding the death.Kanja said the directive will apply to officers responsible for recording the Occurrence Book (OB), the cell sentry and the duty officer in cases where a suspect dies while in police custody.He said the measure is aimed at strengthening accountability within the National Police Service and ensuring that officers responsible for detainees are held accountable.The directive follows the death of Gideon Makau at Kilungu Police Station in Makueni County, where he had been arrested and booked before dying in custody.Makau’s family has raised concerns over the circumstances surrounding his death and is seeking answers on what happened between his arrest and death.Kanja issued the directive a day after the family raised concerns over Makau’s death, instructing regional police commanders to ensure officers who were on duty during a custodial death are immediately interdicted as investigations begin.“The OB recorder, the cell sentry, and the duty officer. Those officers must be interdicted immediately pending investigation of whatever happened,” Kanja said.The Inspector General said the directive should apply to all similar cases, placing responsibility on police commanders to account for officers serving under their command.Kanja also warned commanders and line managers that they would be held accountable for the conduct of officers under their supervision.“Let every commander, every line manager, get to account for the officers at all times. You must account for the equipment that is held by your officers for the discharge of the duty,” he said.Makau’s death comes amid renewed scrutiny over deaths in police custody and allegations of police misconduct.Two days after Makau’s death, another suspect, Eric Otieno, who had been booked at Muthaiga Police Station on August 1, died about 24 hours later. Police leadership said Otieno was allegedly assaulted while in custody.The incidents have renewed questions over the responsibility of officers supervising suspects held in police cells and the mechanisms for ensuring accountability when detainees die under police supervision.Deaths in police custody have also drawn heightened public attention following the death of blogger Albert Ojwang at Nairobi Central Police Station in June 2025.Ojwang’s death triggered widespread public concern and investigations into the circumstances surrounding his death while in custody, leading to increased scrutiny of police accountability and the conduct of officers responsible for detainees.Kanja further warned police commanders against failing to take action against officers accused of criminal conduct.He said commanders and line managers must know the officers under their supervision and take responsibility for their conduct.The warning comes after three police officers were implicated in the murder of Dr Victoria Mutisya, who was shot dead on July 29.Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of the Administration Police Service Gilbert Masengeli similarly warned commanders that they would be the first to be questioned if crime levels rise in their areas of responsibility.“Crime going up in your areas of responsibility. You as a commander, you’ll be the first one to be questioned. For us, this is a warning against careless command,” Masengeli said.Kanja also directed police commanders to intensify efforts to dismantle criminal gangs operating within their areas of responsibility.He warned that commanders who fail to contain criminal gangs could face disciplinary action, including demotion.The Inspector General ordered commanders to provide regular returns on suspected gang members arrested in their respective jurisdictions.“I need to be getting returns of all the goons who have been actually arrested in your respective areas. This is something that we must stop. It is the responsibility of the National Police Service,” Kanja said.The directive comes ahead of the 2027 General Election, amid concerns over the activities of criminal gangs and their potential impact on security.Kanja was speaking during a meeting with regional police commanders at the National Police Leadership Academy, where they were also sensitised on the newly formed Nairobi Metropolitan Police Unit.The unit, which will be headed by a commandant, will comprise more than 2,500 officers drawn from the National Police Service and the Nairobi County Inspectorate.The officers will support efforts to strengthen security and improve coordination across Nairobi.Kanja’s directive places police commanders under greater pressure to account for officers under their command, particularly in cases where suspects die while in police custody.Investigations into Makau’s death are expected to establish the circumstances surrounding his death and determine whether any officers will face criminal or administrative action.