Civil society wants police arrested for assaulting student

A civil society organisation wants two police officers who assaulted a Form Four student in Ndhiwa sub-county arrested and charged.

The county's Bunge la Wenye Nchi wants police to arrest the officers based at Kamata Police Post for allegedly assaulting Almada Onyango, a student of St Peter’s Rambusi Secondary School, a fortnight ago.

The organisation's chairman, Walter Opiyo, co-ordinator Okano Nyasanga and member Isdora Odira said the student deserves justice.Opiyo said the police officers were known and should held to account.

“The boy was assaulted by known officers. Action should be taken,” Opiyo said.

Nyasanga said the law should not be applied selectively when a crime is committed.

 “We want the two police officers be charged and if found guilty, they should be treated like any other citizen of Kenya,” Nyasanga said.

The human rights activists called on the Independent Police Oversight Authority (IPOA) to intervene in the matter.

  The officers attacked the student after he allegedly defended his school mate who had been arrested for riding a motorbike on the road.

 Onyango who was strangled by the two officers has not been able to talk two weeks after the incident.

 Doctors have said the student’s sustained serious nerve system breakdown.

He suffered serious injuries in the nerves which control the voice box,” said Meshack Liru, a medic who attended to him at the Homa Bay County hospital

The student’s mother Lea Okong’o said he was referred to a Kisumu hospital for more scans, but she has not raised the amount required for treatment.

But she decided to return home with him after she failed to raise Sh13,000 that was required for the medical care.

 “I was told to pay Homa Bay county hospital Sh5,000 for an ambulance services and another Sh8,000 which I would pay in Kisumu for scanning. II cannot get that kind of money,” she said.

 She appealed to well-wishers to help her meet the medical cost.

 “My son can struggle to walk but he cannot speak. I am still stranded with him at home,” she added.

 Homa Bay County Police boss Esther Seroney said the officers have been transferred to Homa Bay town to pave way for investigations.