Police officer who assaulted a hawker sentenced to 3 years

A former senior police officer who was found guilty last month of causing grievous harm to a hawker was yesterday sentenced to three years in jail.

Senior Principal Magistrate Angelo Kithinji also gave Gregory Wabwire the option of paying a Sh100,000 fine.

Wabwire opted to pay the fine after the sentence was handed down by Mr Kithinji who said he had considered both the mitigation and probation reports.

On January 31, Kithinji had convicted Wabwire saying the prosecution had proved that he assaulted Dominic Munyoki on December 31, 2011.

At the time of the assault, Wabwire had the rank of Inspector and was the Administration Police officer in charge of Mathare division.

The court heard that on the material day, Wabwire had ordered Munyoki to move a handcart that was blocking the road but Munyoki said the handcart did not belong to him.

Wabwire then arrested Munyoki and took him to the Huruma chief’s camp where he assaulted him with a metal rod, causing head injuries and a fractured leg.

After the hawker reported the matter, Wabwire went on the run and was arrested on August 27, 2014 at Nambale in Busia.

Munyoki, who used to sell eggs, told the court he was hospitalised for two months and his business had suffered.