Cop involved in Kisii assault case identified in public parade

A police officer who brutally assaulted 28-year-old Bramwel Chakunza at the Kisii police station has been picked in a public identification parade as constable Boniface Maobi.

Officers from the Internal Affairs Unit (IAU) and those from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on Thursday afternoon conducted the parade, where constable Maobi was positively identified by the public.

Chakunza later succumbed to injuries on December 22, 2020 while receiving treatment at Nyanchwa Adventist Mission Hospital.

The deceased operated a phone repair kiosk in Kisii town and was assaulted by the accused on December 19.

Protesting youths on Tuesday carried his body and dumped it at the Kisii Central Police station before it was moved to Kisii County Teaching and Referral Hospital funeral parlor.

On Thursday afternoon, a postmortem was conducted revealing that Chakunza succumbed to abdominal injuries caused by blunt force trauma.

An autopsy report by pathologists Dr J.N Ombuya and Dr Benjamin Ndibile showed Chakunza’s pancreas was damaged when the stomach ruptured. A lot of blood had clogged in the abdominal cavity.

Investigations into the incident are being led by IAU director Mohammed Amin. Preliminary investigations show Chakunza was kicked in the abdomen.

Despite the deceased having collapsed at the time, Maobi’s colleagues, who returned to the station from patrol, are alleged to have joined Maobi in assaulting the deceased.

Chakunza lay in the police cells unconscious on Saturday night and was released in unclear circumstances on Sunday morning.

His other friend, Wycliffe Omondi, who had accompanied Chakunza to the station, was also released on Sunday morning after paying Sh5,000 bail.

Nyanza Regional Police Commander John Muiruri had on Wednesday warned that those responsible for the assault, whether police officers or civilians, will be brought to book.

In a phone interview and without disclosing much on the ongoing investigations, Muiruri said action will be taken based on the findings. “The DCI and the Internal Affairs Unit have done their job, legal action will be taken.”