Man hospitalized after after alleged police beating

King Fahad County Hospital in Lamu

A middled aged man from Lamu County is nursing injuries after he was allegedly brutally beaten by police officers.

Mr Yusuf Abuu, 19, a resident of Ndau village in Lamu East is now hospitalised at the King Fahad County Hospital where he was operated on two days ago after his appendix failed to work in what his parents claim to be as a result of the police beatings.

According to the victim’s uncle, Mzee Athman, Mr Abuu, together with others, was arrested and taken to Ndau Police Station after they were accused of stealing a duck from a neighbour.

Mr Athman said their efforts to have the matter solved communally were fruitless since a local administrator insisted that it be dealt with by the police.

“The police arrested our son and others and took them to their station in Ndau. That’s where all evils happened to our son and his colleagues. Before releasing them, the police threatened that they will finish them if they disclose what had befallen them at the station.

After a few days our son started complaining of abdominal pains. We brought him here to the hospital and we are told he has developed complications of the appendix,” said Mr Athman.

Yusuf’s mother Tima Kassim asked the police to come out clear and explain what they did to her son who is now in critical condition.

“When they took him to the police station, my son was okay. He started developing complications shortly after he was released from police custody. He is now hospitalised and in critical condition. I demand answers about what happened to him. I don’t understand why the police are quiet over this incident,” said Mrs Kassim.

The family now wants the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (Ipoa) to intervene and investigate the matter.

“It’s wrong for police to use such kind of force on unarmed citizens while doing their work. The police force has a mandate to protect civilians and not rush to use excessive force on them whenever a confrontation of whichever magnitude arises between them,” said Mrs Halima Omar.

Contacted, Lamu County Commissioner Joseph Kanyiri dismissed the beating allegation as untrue.

Mr Kanyiri said the victim is known to have a chronic pre-existing medical condition that has seen him seek medical attention before at King Fahad Hospital.

But he added that the man is free to report the matter to the police as well as Ipoa for action.

 

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