Embakasi police on the spot after fatal shooting of 19-year-old man

Police in Embakasi, Nairobi, are under scrutiny following the fatal shooting of a 19-year-old man in Mukuru Kwa Njenga on Sunday morning.

Shukri Abdi Ibrahim was shot dead during an encounter with police officers after what his family said was a road accident while he was on his way to the mosque.

According to the parents, Shukri was in the company of two other young men when the incident occurred at around 6am. The three had been travelling in a car, when they were involved in an accident with a PSV bus. The incident allegedly escalated into a confrontation, drawing the attention of police officers.

Adan Ibrahim, Shukri’s father, said his son was killed despite complying with police orders.

“They were heading to the mosque, and on their way they were involved in an accident with another vehicle. They did not stop and proceeded. The other vehicle followed them and, upon reaching the bumps, the occupants came out and hit their car with stones,” said Ibrahim.

He said the altercation caused commotion, prompting police officers to respond. According to him, the officers listened to the account of the other party before ordering Shukri and his colleagues to surrender.

“The police asked the boys to raise their hands and then instructed them to lie down, which they did. But still, they shot my son,” he said.

Ibrahim said police officers fired six bullets, killing Shukri on the spot.

“Now I want justice for my son who was killed for no reason by the police. When I talked to him on Saturday, we spoke about me enrolling him college on January 14.  It is painful,” he said.

Shukri’s mother, Abdia Huka, questioned the circumstances under which her son was killed.

“Shukri has never committed any crime. We are asking the government why our child was killed in that manner,” she said.

Hussein Khalid, the executive director of Vocal Africa, said preliminary findings raised questions about the use of force by the officers.

Khalid said the incident is another case of what he described as a growing crisis of extrajudicial killings in the country.

“How long will we continue losing our youth through the bullets of the police? Enough is enough,” he said.

He accused senior officers of encouraging excessive use of force.

The police have, however, given a different account of the incident. Embakasi Sub-County Police Commander Wesley Kimeto said officers were responding to reports of criminal activity in the area when the shooting occurred.

“I have received information that Today at around 6am, police officers who were around Mukuru Community Centre received information that there were some young men stealing from people on the road,” Kimeto said.

He said officers went to the location and encountered the group.

“According to them, one of the boys pulled out what looked like a gun, and he was shot,” Kimeto said, adding that the other two suspects were arrested.

Kimeto said investigations are ongoing to establish the exact circumstances surrounding the incident.

“We initially heard that there was an accident involving a small car and a bus, but no one came forward to record a statement,” he said.

He said a Toyota Fielder believed to be linked to the incident was recovered and is currently held at the police station.

Investigations are ongoing to know what relationship there is between the car, those arrested and the deceased,” said Kimeto.

Kimeto said the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) was handed the case and the officers involved were taken into custody.