There was heightened tension in Likii slum, Nanyuki, after police officers moved to block demonstrators from accessing the town’s CBD.

The protests were sparked by outrage over the death of 24-year-old Julia Njoki, who allegedly succumbed to injuries sustained while in police custody.

The demonstrators, mostly youth, took to the streets demanding justice for Njoki. They lit bonfires and erected barricades along the main road leading into Nanyuki, insisting that the officer accused of assaulting her be held accountable.

Njoki was arrested during the July 7 Saba Saba protests and later charged with malicious damage. According to her family, she had been on her way home when she was swept up in the police roundup.

She was detained at Nanyuki Police Station and later remanded at the Nanyuki Women’s Prison after failing to raise a Ksh. 50,000 bond.

Her family claims she began experiencing severe health complications shortly after her incarceration. A preliminary medical report suggests that she suffered blunt force trauma to the head, consistent with a violent beating.

The Kenya Prisons Service confirmed that Njoki was admitted on July 8 at around 5:20pm, along with four other women. That same evening, she began complaining of dizziness, headaches, and abdominal pain.

She was rushed to Nanyuki Teaching and Referral Hospital, where her condition worsened. She was later referred to Cottage Hospital for a CT scan.

Njoki was admitted to ICU on the night of July 9 and underwent emergency surgery the following morning. She died on July 12.

Her grieving family has rejected official explanations and is demanding a thorough investigation into her death. A postmortem is scheduled for Tuesday next week.

The case has triggered widespread public anger, especially following the recent death of teacher and blogger Albert Ojwang’, who was also allegedly tortured in custody. Critics say these back-to-back deaths raise serious questions about police brutality and accountability in Kenya’s justice system.