Police in Homa Bay are investigating the death of a prison officer who was found dead just hours after receiving transfer orders.
Constable Ronald Bernard Ochieng, attached to Homa Bay GK Prison, is reported to have died by suicide on Friday night.
His body was found hanging by the roof of his house by his colleagues on Saturday evening, when they went looking out for him after he became unreachable on phone.
The incident came shortly after he was issued marching orders to report to Siaya GK Prison, a transfer he had reportedly resisted.
It is reported that later, the deceased had called his mother, expressing frustration over the transfer before switching off his phone.
Homa Bay County Criminal Investigation Officer, Peter Kimulwo, confirmed that Ochieng had expressed reluctance to take up the new posting.
Kimulwo further revealed that the officer had recently been discharged from Homa Bay County Teaching and Referral Hospital, where he had been admitted and treated for severe pneumonia last month.
“Shortly after returning home, he was notified of his impending deployment,” he said.
Ochieng, a long-serving officer with the Kenya Prison Service, had nearly 20 years of service.
His body was moved to Homa Bay mortuary pending an autopsy as investigations continue.
By Sitna Omar
