Shame as locals taunt, laugh at policemen injured in accident

Community policing has a long way to go if a recent incident in Kakamega County, where locals took their hate for policemen a bit too far, is anything to go by. Instead of locals rescuing injured police officers who had been involved in a tragic road accident while pursuing crooks, they began laughing, making fun and taunting them!

Locals in Kambiri Market, Kakamega had no remorse or kind words for the police officers after their motor bike hit a pothole and dumped them in a ditch, injuring them as they were chasing after a man ferrying chang’aa (an illegal brew) on a motor bike.

After the incident, the operation aborted.

The Kenya Police Service officers attached to Mukhonje Police Post had been tipped off by a local about a syndicate of illicit brew traders, who in the wee hours, were transporting the drink on motorbikes from a brewery tucked somewhere along River Lusumu to Ivakale.

The police then laid an ambush and at 5am a motorbike loaded with 80 litres of chang’aa went by. They revved up their hired motorbike and gave chase.

When the rider realised he was being followed, he changed course and took a route riddled with potholes. Unfortunately for the police officers, the man was a speed master familiar with the road. The cops could not cope, their bike landed in a pothole and before they could yell “stop”, they were face down in a ditch, injured and calling for help.

Harassing people

Surprisingly, locals milled about the incident and instead of rescuing them and rushing them to hospital, some began making fun of them, with others taunting them. “You like disturbing and harassing people, today save yourselves. Let it be a lesson to you and others like you who like disturbing people,” giggled one man at the scene.

Isukha North MCA Robert Lutatwa told Crazy Monday he was woken up by the noise and when he went to check out what was happening, he was shocked that a crowd was celebrating the sight of injured policemen.

“I found my constituents celebrating because policemen had fallen from a speeding motorbike and were injured.

“We took them to a nearby private clinic where they got first aid before being transferred to Kakamega County Hospital,” he said. Lutatwa says that much as he tried he couldn’t convince them to stop making fun of the cops.

“Why hire a motorbike to perform duties when you have police vehicles? Why would they hire a motorbike to chase around petty offenders? I thought they have serious crimes to bust?” taunted a drunk at the scene.

Lutatwa visited the two officers at the county hospital over the weekend and assured Crazy Monday that they are responding well to medication.