Policemen face the sack over assault of JKUAT student
By People Team, November 14, 2019By Alvin Mwangi and Mathew Ndung’u
National Police Service Commission (NPSC) has spelt out tough disciplinary measures against the four police officers who assaulted a Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) student.
The measures include dismisal.
Chairman Eliud Kinuthia yesterday said despite interdiction of the four officers, the commission was waiting for a report from the Internal Affairs Unit (IAU) before taking action.
“As a commission we can only act after investigations. However, we have appealed to the Inspector General to move with speed and give us the findings as fast as possible,” he said.
After the investigations are complete, Kinuthia said, his commission would recommend action that would see both sides accorded justice according to the law. This may include reduction in rank, dismissal or even ultimate removal from service for the said officers.
The four, Corporal George Wathania, Constable Jonathan Kibet, Constable Nicholas Kimtai and the fourth one, which the commission said, is yet to get his full credentials, were recorded beating an unarmed JKUAT student in a video that has gone viral.
John Waiganjo, a commissioner with the Independent Policing Oversight Authority IPOA) has blamed the police commanders, saying there was loss of command control at JKUAT.
Compensate victims
He also said the government was liable for any atrocity carried out by the police and should compensate victims.
National Police Service spokesman Charles Owino, however, said the government should only pay victims on behalf of the officers if investigations show they were on lawful duty and there was no way they could have avoided the incidence.
“When officers are not justified in using excess force they should be individually responsible and pay, even if it is from their pension,” he added.
Senate meeting
Waiganjo and Owino were speaking during a morning show on a local television.
Meanwhile, JKUAT will be opened after the institution’s senate meets, Vice Chancellor Prof Victoria Ngumi, said yesterday.
The university management closed the institution indefinitely following student protests that left scores injured, businesses closed and a trail of vehicles damaged.