Human rights groups praise directive on officers who killed Kwekwe Mwandaza

Medics help carry the body of 14-year-old Kwekwe Mwandaza who was killed by eight police officers in Kwale last month. Looking on is Government Pathologist Johanssen Oduor. [Photo: Kelvin Karani/Standard]

Mombasa, Kenya: Two human rights organisations in Mombasa have welcomed the directive for the arrest and prosecution of police officers who shot and killed a 14-year-old girl in August.

Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Keriako Tobiko on Wednesday directed the arrest and prosecution of two officers who shot dead Kwekwe Mwandaza at her home in Kwale, sparking protests by human rights activists and locals.

Thursday, Haki Africa Executive Director Khalid Hussein said the directive will send a clear message to the National Police Service and deter future wanton shooting of unarmed civilians.

"In the Coast region alone, Haki Africa has recorded 43 extra-judicial killings by the police. This is not acceptable and we applaud the DPP's move to arrest and prosecute the officers behind the girl's killing," he said.

He said the directive is reassuring to the Maweu villagers who thought the police were above the law.

And Muslims for Human Rights director Khelef Khalifa said the lobby group was disappointed at the delay in arresting the eight police officers who were at the scene of the killing.

He said the arrest and prosecution of the officers was not enough as the Kwale family would demand compensation for the loss of the young girl.

The girl was shot dead and hurriedly buried before the family demanded for the exhumation of the body and fresh post-mortem examination done.

Must compensate

The family, led by her uncle Hussein Zani, described the directive as the only hope for the family who did not expect justice from the police.

"This directive gives a new meaning to the justice system in Kenya. It gives hope that even the poor can be heard," he said.

He also said the family must be compensated following the untimely death of their young kin.

Initially, the police claimed the girl was shot when she tried to fight them with a panga.

But these claims were refuted especially after two young cousins of the girl, who were present when she was killed, gave their accounts of the event.

The Independent Policing Oversight Authority then picked up the case after whose investigations the DPP issued the directive.