A team of investigators from the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (Ipoa) has arrived in Mombasa to investigate the killing of four protesters in Masimba in Kajiado county by police officers last week.

The four were allegedly killed by General Service Unit (GSU) officers who were heading to Mombasa on Thursday.

On Friday, Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i apologised for the killing of the four protesters.

Ipoa Coast Region Director Hussein Aden said the investigators were in Mombasa to record statements with a view to identifying the officers responsible for the alleged shooting that left four demonstrators dead and six wounded.

Identify officers

Aden declined to shed more details on the matter, arguing that it would interfere with ongoing investigations.

“It is a high profile matter. It is true there is a team down here to help in identifying the police officers in the alleged killings. However, since it is the Nairobi team in charge, let them authorise us on what should be shared with the media to avoid interfering with the ongoing investigations,” he said.

Ipoa detectives are expected to conduct interviews and record statements with the GSU officers who on Thursday while being ferried back to their station in Mombasa allegedly opened fire at demonstrators along the Nairobi-Mombasa highway.

Details have further emerged that five police officers who were involved in the alleged shooting would be charged with murder.

“We are working closely with the Authority to aid in identifying those who opened fire on the protestors. We are looking at a number of not less than seven officers who were ferried on the said day, they have begun recording statements,” said a senior police officer who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Wildlife conflict

Executive Director of Haki Africa Hussein Khalid said that his organisation was working closely with Ipoa to bring to book those involved in the alleged  shooting.

Residents had staged demonstrations to express displeasure with the national administration over unresolved human wildlife conflict in the area that, they said, had resulted in eight deaths within three month.