Kindiki and IG Koome Sued for Police Brutality
Operation Linda Jamii, a lobbying organization, has filed a petition with the Kisumu High Courts accusing Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki and Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome of using excessive force against protesters during anti-government demonstrations organized by the Azimio Coalition.
The lobbying group requests in its petition that the two be held accountable for the brutality and compelled to produce documentation detailing all investigations and inquiries related to the brutality.
In addition, the lobby led by Prof. Ogola wants the government to publish all statistics on victims killed during the demonstrations.
“We want the court to make a ruling that will send a message to the perpetrators of these police brutalities that never again, will they silence the voice, the freedoms, and rights,” the group said in the statement.
In addition, the organization requests that the court order the government to compensate all protestors injured during the demonstrations and the families of those who were killed during the pandemonium.
“As the politicians sort themselves out in Bomas, those who paid the ultimate price should also receive restorative justice,” the group stated.
“While the National Dialogue Team continues to churn out its joint agenda, we also hope that the plight of victims is resolved. Let’s put an end to these historical injustices,” the group added.
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The lobbying group faults the IG Koome for failing to adequately prepare the police to deal humanely with protestors.
During the height of the protests, it was reported that police officers fired indiscriminately at Kenyans, including those at their homes who were not protestors. The lobbying group also desires that the police chief be held accountable.
“What pains us the most is that to date, it is not clear whether the said officers and their immediate supervisors reported the said usage of the firearms to the interested party as mandatorily required by law,” read the statement.
The group also questioned why emergency services were not provided by the government during the demonstrations.
Since March, Amnesty International has released statistics on the number of fatalities that have occurred during anti-government protests. At least 30 cases of police killings of demonstrators were documented by Amnesty. They include the 20th and 27th of March protests (12 deaths each), the Saba Saba demonstration (12 deaths), and the 19th of July protest (6 deaths). The fatalities were attributed to tear gas suffocation and lethal gunfire.
According to Amnesty, preliminary investigations have revealed that the police have resorted to beatings, arbitrary arrests and detention of dissidents, indiscriminate and disproportionate use of tear gas and water cannons, and other grave violations of human rights to control the demonstrations.
Kindiki and IG Koome Sued for Police Brutality
