Family want officers 'in love with girl' held

A family wants action taken against police officers who allegedly stormed their home and harassed them.

The family, which lives in Chesoi Township, Marakwet East, claims the harassment stemmed from an alleged love affair between one of the officers and a girl, and are calling on the National Police Service to act.

Trouble started on Friday night when two brothers of the 16-year-old girl confronted two strangers at their gate.

“It was around 9pm when, together with my brother, we found two men at our gate. We asked them what they were doing there but instead of identifying themselves, they threatened to beat us up,” said Onesmus Komen.

He added: “After an exchange of words, the two men agreed to accompany us home, where they identified themselves as police officers from Chesoi divisional headquarters."

Mr Komen said the officers were reluctant to reveal their mission. “One of them attempted to flee and the commotion woke our parents. My younger sister, who is a high school student, was questioned and she admitted to being a lover of one of the officers. When I checked her phone, I found text messages which indicated that the officers had come to take her to their house."

The officers then sought for forgiveness and were allowed to leave.

According to the family, the officers, accompanied by four of their colleagues, stormed the home the next day, beat up family members, arrested the girls' father and her two brothers and detained them for two days.

Marakwet West OCPD Ibrahim Kosi, however, denied that his officers beat up the family members before the arrest.

“One police officer who allegedly wrote the text message to the girl was beaten and injured and the family is also claiming to have been beaten up by police. We are investigating both parties,” he said.