The Kenyan police keep advocating for interaction with the common mwananchi so as to establish trust and aid them in ensuring our security but how are we supposed to do that when they have the audacity to shoot us in lime light for mere disagreement?
After killing a citizen in the presence of witnesses at Kengonga market the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has opened a probe into the police shooting of in Kuria East, Migori County, on Monday.
In a statement on Tuesday, the IPOA announced that it had launched investigations into the death of Mr Kimati who was 33 years old.
An administration police officer allegedly shot and killed the man days after a confrontation during a billiards game in an entertainment hall in Kegonga town, Migori County.
Residents alleged that the two quarrelled last Friday and that the officer, based at Kuria East police divisional headquarters in Kegonga, vowed to deal with Mr Kimati.
Those who witnessed the shooting said Mr Kikwai fired twice at Mr Kimati using a rifle, killing him on the spot.
Witnesses claimed the officer, whom they identified only as Kikwai, had been trailing the victim, Alex Omari Kimati, and caught up with him at Kegonga market at around 10 am on Monday. Police, however,
The authority has also vowed to also investigate similar cases in parts of Nairobi County.
“IPOA has learnt of incidents in which three suspected robbers were shot and killed in separate incidents in Huruma and Mathare areas of Nairobi on October 29, 2018. In Migori, an Administration Police officer attached to Kegonga Police Division allegedly fatally shot a man in unclear circumstances,” stated the statement signed by head of communication Dennis Oketch.
“On its own motion, and acting pursuant to its statutory mandate under Section 25(1) of the IPOA Act that requires the authority to investigate deaths and serious injuries caused by police action, the IPOA has launched independent investigations into the incidents with a view of unraveling the circumstances that led to the fatal shootings, and more particularly whether the police officers were justified in the use of their firearms.”
Some residents of Kegonga welcomed the move and were optimistic that justice will be served.
“We are happy that the IPOA has taken up the case of our brother. We hope that ultimately, justice will be served,” said Mr Mwita Chacha, a resident.
Kuria East divisional police commander Ahmed Abdikadir however denied the residents’ account of events, saying Mr Kimati was a known robber and that he had committed several assaults.
Mr Abdikadir said the officer shot him after he resisted arrest and attempted to grab his firearm.
“The man resisted arrest and physically confronted the police officer. That is when he shot him,” he said.
“He was a notorious robber so police had been looking for him. He also had a number of assault cases and recently assaulted a police officer. The police officer did not have any disagreement with the deceased. That is not true.”
Do you trust the kenyan police with your life?