A senior Kenya Prisons Service officer was found dead inside his car at an open field behind Spur Mall in Juja, Kiambu County.
Eric Kiarie Wainaina, a 40-year-old Senior Superintendent of Prisons (SSP) attached to the Kenya Prisons Service Central Region Headquarters in Nyeri, was found unresponsive on Sunday morning.
Police said a member of the public, reported the discovery by telephone at about 10.30am.
Police rushed to the scene where they found Wainaina seated and leaning backwards against the open driver’s door of a silver Nissan Wingroad.
Senior police officers as well as senior Kenya Prisons officers led by the Kiambu County Prisons Commander, visited the scene.
Crime scene investigators from Juja also processed and documented the scene.
Police said Wainaina’s identity was established using his Certificate of Appointment, driving licence and passport, all of which were found inside the vehicle.
His mobile phone was also recovered from the car alongside three empty 250ml bottles of Chrome spirit, an empty water bottle and Labtol tablets associated with hypertension treatment.
Investigators also found clothes and shoes packed in a bag, believed to be the officer’s personal effects.
Bystanders told police that Wainaina was a regular visitor to the spot where he was found.
The circumstances surrounding his death had not been established by the time of the report.
His body was moved to the Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital mortuary for preservation pending an autopsy.
Police said they are investigating if the incident could be suicide. Authorities say just like the police, prisons officers are exposed to many forms of trauma that lead some to suicide in a worrying trend.
As part of efforts to address the trend, police authorities have launched counselling services, and they have established a unit and staffed it to attend to their demanding situation. The counselling unit, among other things, evaluates, designs and leads an outreach programme that helps prevent mental health and substance abuse. Officials say police are generally on the receiving end of all community problems. They are expected to maintain law and order in very difficult situations, besides putting their lives at risk. Over the years, a spike in deaths in the service has been linked to trauma.
Meanwhile, a 63-year-old man was found dead at the gate of a homestead in Mbuvo, Kathonzweni Sub-County, Makueni County, with a cut wound on his forehead.
The deceased, identified as John Mukule Nzuve of Maviani village, was discovered lying lifeless at the gate of a local’s compound on Sunday, September 6, 2026.
Police visited the scene and found Nzuve’s body lying on the ground facing upwards.
Police said the body had blood on the face and a visible cut on the forehead.
The scene was documented by Crime Scene Investigation officers before the body was moved to Capital Morgue in Kathonzweni for preservation pending an autopsy.
Police have launched investigations into the circumstances surrounding the man’s death.
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