Ten policemen in custody after protest left one dead

Ten police officers attached to Central Police Station in Nakuru County were arrested yesterday following the killing of a man during a protest by residents of London Estate.

Chaos erupted in the estate after the police tried to arrest a bhang dealer. Overwhelmed by the protestors, the police officer used live bullets, killing a man on the spot.

The residents barricaded the Nakuru-Kampi ya Moto Road and engaged police in a running battle for over an hour. The overwhelmed police officer retreated before reinforcements arrived.

Nakuru County Police Commander Michael Mwaura confirmed that one of the police officers from Central Police Station shot and killed one of the residents in London.

He confirmed that 10 officers have been arrested and are currently in custody, and their guns have been confiscated, awaiting ballistic examination.

“We condemn the shooting. All the officers will be investigated, and the matter has now been handed over to the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) for further investigations,” said Mwaura.

Mwaura said that the officers will also record statements at the offices of the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DCI), and a parade will be conducted to identify the culprit.

According to Mwaura, the officers were patrolling and arrested a bhang peddler within Nakuru City.

He said the peddler offered to take the officers to the bhang dealer in London, but as they headed there, chaos erupted.

“The residents started throwing stones at the police officers, who reacted by throwing teargas and shooting in the air, and one man was fatally injured. He was pronounced dead at the hospital,” he said.

Mwaura insisted that there were bhang dealers and peddlers in London, and the police were doing their duty, during which process one was injured.

However, in contrast, one resident who sought anonymity claimed that the officers involved had been taking bribes from criminals in the area.

The resident said that when the residents refuse to cooperate, the police harass them.

“TTen police officers attached to Central Police Station in Nakuru County were arrested yesterday following the killing of a man during a protest by residents of London Estate.

Chaos erupted in the estate after the police allegedly tried to arrest a bhang dealer. Overwhelmed by the protestors the police used live bullets killing a man on the spot.

The residents barricaded the Nakuru-Kampi ya Moto Road and engaged police in a running battle for over one hour. The overwhelmed police officer retreated before reinforcement.

Nakuru County Police Commander Michael Mwaura confirmed that one of the police officers from Central Police Station shot and killed one of the residents in London.

He confirmed that 10 officers have been arrested and are currently in custody, and their guns have been confiscated, awaiting ballistic examination

“We condemn the shooting. All the officers will be investigated, and the matter has now been handed over to the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) for further investigations,” said Mwaura.

Mwaura said that the officers will also record statements at the offices of the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DCI), and a parade will be conducted to identify the culprit.

According to Mwaura, the officers were patrolling and arrested a bhang peddler within Nakuru City.

He said the peddler offered to take the officers to the bhang dealer in London, but as they headed there, chaos erupted.

“The residents started throwing stones at the police officers, who reacted by throwing teargas and shooting in the air, and one man was fatally injured. He was pronounced dead at the hospital,” he said.

Mwaura insisted that there were bhang dealers and peddlers in London, and the police were doing their duty where in the process, one was injured.

However, in contrast, one resident who sought anonymity claimed that the officers involved had been taking bribes from criminals in the area.

The resident said that when the residents refuse to cooperate, the police harass them.

“The police are in cahoots with criminals in this area, and they know the bhang peddlers and dealers. They cannot justify killing one of us,” said the resident.

Nakuru West MP Samuel Arama condemned the incident and raised concerns about how officers from Nakuru East Sub-County were involved in the Nakuru West incident.

Arama said that the officers supposed to patrol in Nakuru West are those within the police station in his sub-county.

“What business does an officer from another sub-county have in Nakuru West. Why are officers in civilian clothes moving from Nakuru East to West, to arrest bhang dealers?” wondered Arama.

He regretted that the top police commanders were still protecting criminals within their sector.

“Based on what the County Commander is saying, police feel they did nothing wrong, and we do not trust this police station to investigate them. We want an independent office outside Nakuru to handle this issue,” said Arama.

He said he had raised complaints about police taking bribes from residents and harassing them in default, but nothing has been done for years.

“A few years ago, another person was shot dead. This is the second incident. We want justice to prevail,” said Arama.he police are in cahoots with criminals in this area, and they know the bhang peddlers and dealers. They cannot justify killing one of us,” said the resident.

Nakuru West MP Samuel Arama condemned the incident and raised concerns about how officers from Nakuru East Sub-County were involved in the Nakuru West incident.

Arama said that the officers supposed to patrol in Nakuru West are those within the police station in his sub-county.

“What business does an officer from another sub-county have in Nakuru West? Why are officers in civilian clothes moving from Nakuru East to West to arrest bhang dealers?” wondered Arama.

He regretted that the top police commanders were still protecting criminals within their sector.

“Based on what the County Commander is saying, police feel they did nothing wrong, and we do not trust this police station to investigate them. We want an independent office outside Nakuru to handle this issue,” said Arama.

He said he had raised complaints about police taking bribes from residents and harassing them in default, but nothing has been done for years.

“A few years ago, another person was shot dead. This is the second incident. We want justice to prevail,” said Arama.