Angry residents storm police station, set office on fire

A section of Rioma Police Station in Kisii County was on Sunday set ablaze by residents who were protesting the killing of a local businessman by a police officer.

Locals said the officer accused the deceased of selling fake sanitisers before shooting him dead.

The police reportedly accused the man, who was selling homemade sanitizers, of disobeying Covid-19 guidelines leading to an argument.

After the shooting, a riot ensued before the locals stormed the station and razed an office. They were later dispersed by police who were backed by more teams.

Nyanza Police boss Noah Mwivanda said the accused officer was later arrested and would be charged with various offenses. “It is unfortunate what happened but we have taken action and arrested the accused officer,” he said.

This comes just days after similar protests in Nandi County where a police officer shot and killed a cobbler for allegedly not wearing a mask. Riots that ensued afterwards led to the killing of two other people.

Following the incident, Inspector General of Police Hilary Mutyambai ordered the interdiction and arrest of the officer.

Cases of police brutality have been on the rise especially during the Coronavirus pandemic as police implement guidelines issued by the government to curb the spread of the virus. Authorities say at least 15 deaths are as a result of police brutality in the period.
 

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Rioma Police Station