LSK demands full disclosure of name, service number of officer who shot protester

The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) has demanded the public release of the identity and service number of a police officer who shot a protester, insisting that accountability must begin with naming and prosecuting individuals involved in unlawful violence.

The shot hawker, identified as Boniface Kariuki, remains in critical condition at Kenyatta National Hospital. His father, John Kariuki, has since demanded swift justice.

While the National Police Service (NPS) claimed the officer responsible has been arrested, the LSK faulted the Service for failing to name the officer or share any concrete details of disciplinary or criminal proceedings.

LSK President Faith Odhiambo criticised the police for issuing what she termed a vague and inadequate statement, warning that impunity within the service is eroding public trust.

“The officer must be treated as the face of impunity and lawlessness within the police ranks,” Odhiambo said.

The society condemned the excessive use of force by police and alleged coordination with armed civilian groups during the anti-police brutality protests that rocked Nairobi and other counties on June 17.

The demonstrations, sparked by the killing of university student Albert Ojwang, reportedly left at least 17 people injured in Nairobi alone. Among the casualties was a hawker who was shot at close range by a police officer, an incident captured on video and widely shared online.

The LSK said the footage and other evidence point to “a troubling picture of a law enforcement system that is enabling, if not actively participating in violence, theft, and intimidation.”

The society also flagged reports of masked groups armed with blunt weapons attacking demonstrators under police escort.

“These groups were not part of the peaceful protests but rather appeared to be criminal elements working under police protection,” the LSK said.

According to Odhiambo, one of the victims of the attacks was a High Court advocate, who was reportedly assaulted by individuals dispatched from a police Land Cruiser and flanked by motorcycles while en route to visit his client, Ken Ochieng.

The LSK also slammed some officers for looting shops that had already been broken into by the armed gangs, claiming the police are increasingly perceived as collaborators in violent crimes.

“There is a growing perception that the National Police Service has become a conduit for violent crime,” the society said, warning that the unchecked conduct of police officers risks irreparably damaging public confidence in law enforcement.

The society further reiterated its call for far-reaching police reforms, insisting that law enforcement must not be turned into an instrument of oppression.

“This is a critical moment for Kenya. The police must recommit to their constitutional mandate, and those who violate that trust must be brought to justice without delay,” the LSK said.

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The Police Reforms Working Group has also condemned what it called the “deliberate infiltration” of the protests by violent agitators who, in some cases, appeared to work in tandem with police.

“Our monitoring and preliminary analysis confirm widespread fears that the National Police Service failed to stop hundreds of masked agitators who were mobilised, transported and deployed to patrol several streets and attack Government critics,” the lobby said.

The Working Group said it observed police consulting with armed groups on Moi Avenue, at the Railways Club, and Kenyatta Avenue, and that some of the gangs publicly praised Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja and unnamed MCAs for their support.

“No protest-related arrests had been carried out by 8 pm,” the group added, despite police claiming to be investigating the chaos.

The Working Group called on the Inspector General of Police to publicly name all officers and commanders captured using excessive or lethal force, disclose deployment schedules, and share forensic evidence, including weapons and ballistics used during the operation.

They also demanded that the officer who shot Boniface Kariuki be charged in court and subjected to a fair trial, while warning politicians to stop interfering with police operations or inciting violence.

“We urge the Cabinet Secretary for Interior to take immediate action to address police misconduct,” the statement read, warning that “continued violence threatens Kenya’s lives, democratic stability, and economic resilience.”

Both the LSK and the Working Group lauded journalists, medics, lawyers and protest observers who stood firm in documenting abuse and assisting the injured.