Police in Ugunja Sub County on Tuesday night confiscated contraband sugar that had been sneaked from a neighboring country, arresting two suspects in the process.
But, in a twist of events, one of the suspects who had tried to escape from the moving vehicle they were using to transport the 600 kilograms of sugar died as he was receiving treatment at Ambira sub-county hospital where the police had rushed him.
Confirming the incident, Siaya County Police Commander, Francis Kooli said that the vehicle transporting the contraband was flagged down at a roadblock along the Busia – Kisumu highway.
He said that one of the suspects jumped in a bid to escape but fell down and was subdued by the police officers.
“Together with his accomplice, they were taken to Ugunja police station,” said the police boss adding that it is at the station where the suspect started showing signs of difficulty in breathing, forcing the officers to rush him to hospital.
He said that the suspect was pronounced dead while undergoing treatment.
Kooli denied allegations that the man was shot by the officers, adding that his accomplice who is still in the police cells had told the police that he was asthmatic.