Police and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority are investigating an incident in which a murder suspect was found dead in a cell after a suspected suicide at the Mukurweini police station, Nyeri.

Ben Kamau Maina was detained at the station pending plea taking for the murder of his wife Nancy Muthoni Maina, police said.

The incident happened on Monday morning when he was scheduled to appear in court.

Police said he was scheduled to appear at the local law courts over the murder.

Other suspects held at the station said they found the lifeless body of Maina hanging on the window grill with a mattress lining tied around his neck.

He had died hours earlier. The other suspects alerted police on duty who rushed to the scene and tried to help him in vain.

The body was moved to the local mortuary pending autopsy.

Police said they had not established the motive of the incident. He had not disclosed to anyone on his plans.

Such cases are investigated by IPOA.

The team visited the station and talked to the other witnesses and police on duty as part of the probe into the incident.