Police officer captured on camera shooting man during Nairobi protest arrested
National Police Service Spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga said the arrest followed a directive issued by Inspector-General of Police Douglas Kanja.
The National Police Service (NPS) has confirmed the arrest of a rogue officer captured on camera shooting an unarmed civilian using an anti-riot shotgun within the Nairobi central business district earlier on Tuesday.
In a statement, Police Spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga said the arrest followed orders from the Inspector General of Police, Douglas Kanja.
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"Following this incident, the Inspector General National Police Service ordered for the immediate arrest and arraignment in court of the involved officer. The said police officer has since been arrested," Nyaga said in a statement released Tuesday evening.
Nyaga added that the victim of the shooting was in hospital receiving medical treatment.
The rogue policeman shot the unarmed man outside Imenti House on Moi Avenue, where he stood as officers went after some goons who were attempting to rob some shops in the area.
However, instead of arresting him, if indeed they found him to have done something wrong, they assaulted him before one officer pulled the trigger on him, leading to his sudden fall.
Onlookers then surrounded the victim and rushed him to the hospital while expressing anger towards the police for their unending use of force against innocent civilians.
Kenyans are once again questioning when police brutality against civilians will end, this time as it unfolded during protests demanding justice for an earlier case of the same abuse.
In particular, the daylong protests were pushing for the arrest and prosecution of Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat over his adverse mention in the death of Albert Ojwang, a teacher and blogger who was arrested by police at his home in Homa Bay and later tortured and killed in Nairobi.
A complaint from DIG Lagat, who has since stepped aside to allow for a fair probe, is reported to have led to Ojwang's arrest.
NPS has also condemned the presence of goons during Tuesday’s protests in Nairobi.
"Furthermore, NPS has noted a group of goons armed with crude weapons in today's protests within the CBD. The Service takes great exception and does not condone such unlawful groupings. Such individuals will be handled firmly, according to the law. Consequently, investigations have commenced to identify and deal with the criminals accordingly," Nyaga said.
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