Two suspects have been arrested after a policewoman died while procuring an abortion.
The policewoman who succumbed to the botched abortion at a facility within Kawangware, Nairobi, was attached to Rapid Deployment Unit in Embakasi.
The authorities confirmed that the said police officer was on her leave at the time of the incident.
According to a police report, the body of Winny Zippora Atoo, a police constable with the Rapid Deployment Unit (RDU) based in Embakasi, was brought to a hospital at around midday on Tuesday.
Investigators believe she had been moved there from Kabiru Hospital, a private health facility located in the Kawangware area.
How the policewoman succumbed to the botched abortion
The incident came to light after police officers from Muthangari Police Station received a report and visited the hospital, accompanied by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and a crime scene unit.
Upon arrival, they found Atoo’s body lying in a pool of blood inside a vehicle, raising suspicions of a medical procedure gone wrong.
Preliminary findings from the investigating team indicate that the officer may have been induced into labour prior to her death.
Authorities believe the abortion procedure was initiated at Kabiru Hospital before complications developed, leading to her transfer to another facility.
Police findings
Investigators said the deceased may have died at around 10.00 pm on Monday night, several hours before she was taken to the second hospital.
Her body was later taken to City Mortuary where a postmortem is expected to be carried out to determine the exact cause of death.
Police have arrested two suspects in connection with the incident. Their identities have not yet been revealed, but officials confirmed they are being held for questioning.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations is leading the probe, with investigators reviewing medical records, interviewing witnesses, and examining CCTV footage from both hospitals involved.
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Authorities say the outcome of the postmortem and ongoing forensic analysis will guide the next steps, including possible criminal charges.
Similar incident previously
The police service has not issued an official statement regarding the matter, but sources say internal briefings are ongoing.
A similar incident was recorded in May 2023 after a policewoman died in Nairobi Hospital procuring an abortion.
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The 30-year-old policewoman was alleged to have gone to the private clinic in Eastleigh to terminate her pregnancy.
The owner of the clinic is said to have referred her to Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital after a bangled procedure.
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