Nairobi — A family in Wamagana village in Nyeri is pushing for action against three Administration Police officers for allegedly torturing their relative to death.

What started off as a request by the family for the officers to intervene and deter 32-year-old John Karitu from hurling insults at his elderly mother turned tragic after he was allegedly tortured at the Wamagana chief's camp.

His mother, Ms Mary Karitu, said she reported her son's harassment to the policemen, who promised to apprehend him but only after she parted with Sh500 to hire a taxi for the officers.

This is despite the fact that her home is about 100 metres from the chief's camp .

She reported the matter on Friday after her son made her life miserable by arriving home late at night and hurling insults at her.

"I told the police about my son's behaviour and only asked them to warn him but not to kill him," she told the Nation in an interview.

The police arrested the man on Saturday morning and took him to the chief's camp in a hired vehicle, where the alleged torture took place.

Attempts by the mother to accompany them in the car were rebuffed, forcing the woman to walk the distance so that she could sit with the officers and iron out the differences and try to correct the son's behaviour.

However, on arrival she found the son in handcuffs lying on the floor and complaining of pain all his body.

Ms Karitu alleges the officers beat her son in turns and later forced him to walk even after he had collapsed twice.

He died at the Wamagana health centre, where he had been taken after his condition deteriorated.

Nyeri police boss Kirunya Limbitu said he was not aware of the torture, adding that what had been reported was an incident of "sudden death".

"I am not aware that anyone has been tortured but let anyone who has information furnish it to the police so that action can be taken," he said.