NPSC fails to name fourth officer filmed assaulting JKUAT student

The National Police Service Commission has identified three of the four police officers captured on video assaulting a student from the Jomo Kenyatta University of Science and Technology. [Courtesy]

Police have identifeid three officers filmed assaulting a university student a day after the Inspector General of Police released a statement indicating that four cops were interdicted.  

The National Police Service Commission on Wednesday released the names of the trio during a press briefing.

Constables Kibet Chemipei, Boniface Muthama and George Wathania and another officer who is yet to be identified are the officers filmed beating a JKUAT student who was lying helplessly on the ground.

This follows surmounting pressure from Kenyans who demanded the police to give names of the officers.

However, the commision did not release the Service Numbers of the named trio.  

NPSC chairman Eluid Kinuthia said that they were having difficulties in identifying the fourth officer because the video angle did not capture his face.

“Identification of the fourth officer is taking longer because of the angle of the footage. We need to be sure that we are identifying the right person,” said Kinuthia

Inspector-General of Police Hillary Mutyambai announced on Tuesday that they had interdicted the four officers to pave way for investigations but did not release any names.

“The National Police Service wishes to inform (the public) that four officers who were caught on camera meting excessive force on a JKUAT student have been identified and consequently interdicted from service as per police service procedures,” read a statement from the IG.

Mutyambai further revealed that an investigation of the Internal Affairs Unit will lead to recommendations of disciplinary actions to be taken against the officers.

The four officers on the spot were filmed on Monday bludgeoning and kicking the student before letting him go.

It’s after this video that the IG and Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i vowed action against the officers for using excessive force on the JKUAT students who were protesting over insecurity.