×

Increased cases of extra-judicial killings must come to an end

Kenyan courts are set to begin experiencing a week-long paralysis from today. This comes about as protests by advocates, magistrates, judges and human rights groups against the brutal killing of lawyer Willy Kimani, his client Josphat Mwendwa and taxi driver Joseph Muiruri by people suspected to be police officers begin today.

The trio’s brutal murder reinforces the warning that the Independent Police Oversight Authority (IPOA) gave in 2014 on the existence of rogue police officers. While the taxi driver was presumably killed for his association with the other two in a matter he was clearly not party to, the lawyer and his client were murdered for seeking justice in a case in which Mr Mwendwa had earlier been shot in the arm by a rogue police officer. This is just one of many such cases that have gone unremarked.

The abuse of police powers and the impunity with which police officers have been operating for years is astounding, to say the least. The Government's laid-back attitude in effecting proper reforms within the discredited police service only compounds an already dire situation. There have been rising cases of police violence, human rights abuses and extra-judicial killings.

There is no shortage of cases where citizens have been abducted or arrested by people known to be police officers never to be seen or heard of again. But perhaps the area that has experienced the highest number of extra-judicial killings is the Coast region under the guise of fighting terrorists.

A 2014 Kenya Human Rights Commission report outlined how police officers in some places beat up innocent people, looted, raped, torched houses and engaged in extra-judicial killings without fear of repercussions. It does not only stop there because police officers have been dabbing in crime either directly or by aiding criminal gangs in consideration of payment. Last year, three police officers attached to Nakuru police station were charged in a Kericho court for abduction and extortion after they allegedly kidnapped a motorist and demanded ransom.

Two other officers in Nakuru released a robbery suspect after sharing the loot with him. In July 2015, yet another police officer was arrested in Nakuru for a robbery with violence charge involving goods worth Sh70 million.

Kenyans must stand up against State lethargy, police impunity and brutality. The basic mission for which the police exist is to protect citizens as they prevent crime and disorder and they cannot therefore turn back and become the executioners of the people they are supposed to protect.

The police are now using their weapons to rob and kill the very same members of public they swore to protect. As guaranteed by the constitution; the right to life is inalienable.

 The Internal Security Cabinet Secretary must uphold the rule of law. He must address underlying reasons why the National Police Service does not conduct its affairs in a way that is different from any criminal gang on the streets.

If the ongoing police vetting exercise has taught us anything, it is that the service is in dire need of sanitisation to rid it of criminal agents. However, we are not in any way condemning the entire service, for indeed, there are many good officers who sacrifice a lot for public safety. Nonetheless, it is prudent that the service throws out all the rotten eggs.