Mental health concerns as officer commits suicide

By , March 18, 2025

A 49-year-old Police Constable died by suicide at Sossiot Police Station, Kericho County in unclear circumstances on Saturday.

The officer, who had been transferred to the new station last week, is said to have been suffering from hallucinations and had claimed that he was being “chased by unknown people” in his house.

As a result, he left his house and went to the station where he reported to one of the senior officers that he had been chased by unknown people and decided to spend the night at the station.

Later, his body was found dangling from the window grills of the radio room.

The two officers on duty said they had left to hoist the national flag and came back minutes later only to find the body hanging on the window grill with a shoelace tied around his neck.

About 60 officers die by suicide every year due to stress and social, financial and workplace pressures with the situation continuing to worsen, according to mental health experts.

Three months ago, a police officer died by suicide at the Nyeri Central Sub-County offices in unclear circumstances barely a fortnight after another Corporal shot himself dead at the police college, Kiganjo.

The body of Constable George Kimiti Gichuki was found on the floor and he is said to have shot himself in the chest using his official AK47 rifle.

The bullet went through the back killing him instantly, police said.

The deceased officer was the armorer at the Administration Police Service offices where he died.

The incident came just two weeks after Corporal Collins Onyando turned his official gun on himself while guarding the residence of the National Police Service Campus commandant.

“It was a single shot below the chin that exited from the head,” the report adds. His colleagues recovered the firearm, a CZ 807 rifle loaded with 29 rounds of ammunition, and one spent cartridge, near the body.

A recent survey shows that 90 percent of police officers are experiencing challenges related to alcoholism with 50 percent requiring psychosocial support to come out of drunkenness.

Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja is on record saying that though everyone is vulnerable to stress and mental illness, police officers are at more risk due to unique factors.

“The nature of police work as shown by research globally, is very demanding and stressful. For instance, officers are constantly handling traumatic and disturbing scenes of crime and accidents that often leave them with long-term mental and psychological trauma,” IG Kanja said earlier.

The police boss also revealed that most law enforcement officers shy away from seeking help.

Kanja said that due to these realities and the prevalent challenges, mental health remains a pertinent issue.

“Mental health is of particular concern to the National Police Service, and to deal with it, the service has been undertaking deliberate measures by adopting a multi-pronged approach,” Kanja said.

The Inspector General was speaking during the mental health advocacy event and launch of the psychosocial support training programme at the African International University.

According to Kanja, concerted collaborative efforts are needed to address mental illness.

He said the conference was significant since it provides that much needed platform where officers can share ideas and information on mental health.

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