Six rogue police officers set to be charged this week over misconduct after Ipoa probe
By People Reporter, June 4, 2020
Six police officers are expected to be charged in court this week with various offences, including murder, following investigations by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (Ipoa).
Following a surge in shootings involving police officers, investigations have also been launched into the shooting of at least 10 people in the last week.
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Haji, who is currently reviewing 80 cases of police misconduct, has directed that Administration Police officer Lotugh Angorita be charged with the murder of a secondary school teacher, Colleta Amondi Ouda.
The teacher was shot after one of two police officers responding to a burglary incident opened fire at Usigu market, Siaya County.
A public inquest on the matter was launched but Haji directed that it be withdrawn in favour of the murder trial.
The DPP has also said that there is sufficient evidence to charge Constable Duncan Ndiema Ndiwa alias Champes with murder for shooting to death a 13-year-old Yassin Hussein Moyo.
Moyo was shot while at the balcony of his parent’s home in Kiamaiko, Nairobi on March 30, 2020.
Four other officers risk life imprisonment for causing grievous harm to AbdiIbrahim Noor in Garissa during an arrest.
Ipoa investigations revealed that without any justification, Festus Kiptoo Saina, Boniface Wambura Chacha, Joseph Mwaniki and Nashaon Adera fractured the victim’s leg during an arrest near Gateway Hotel, Garissa.
The Ipoa chairperson Anne Makori on Wednesday warned that the authority will not hesitate to take action against rogue officers.
“Ipoa supports officers in maintaining law and order but will not hesitate to act in accordance with its mandate, on the few bad elements that break the same laws they are supposed to enforce,” she said.
According to the police regulations, officers should always attempt to use non-violent means first, and if force is used, it should be proportional to the objective to be achieved, the seriousness of the offence, and the resistance of the person against whom it is used.
The Inspector-General of Police Hillary Mutyambai has also ordered for investigations into the fatal shooting of the terror Mohamed Mapenzi and his two children at Kibundani in Kwale County by police officers on May 29.
The team of investigators is headed by the Internal Affairs Unit (IAU) Director Mohammed Amin and the Unit’s Chief Investigator Wilhelm Kimutai.
On Wednesday, the IG Mutyambai directed the IAU deputy director Gitahi Kanyeki to lead a team of detectives to Mathare area to establish the circumstances surrounding the shooting of a homeless man only known as ‘Vaite’.
The deceased, a cart puller with no known relatives was shot on the chest on Monday around 7.30 pm when police officers fired in the air to disperse residents who had not settled in their homes.
Moments later he succumbed to the gunshot wound prompting protests within Mathare.
According to police records, Starehe Sub-County has witnessed more cases of police shooting in the last few months.
At least four people have been shot in unclear circumstances in the last week.
On Friday morning last week, two suspects were shot dead in unclear circumstances.
Investigations have been launched following reports that the deceased persons were arrested by police the previous day, contrary to what the police said.
According to the police, the owner of Hud Yare Designer shop Abdiabib Dekor Bore said he had been informed by his guard that there were four gangsters breaking into his shop.
The watchman raised alarm and officers on patrol responded.
Starehe OCPD Alice Kimeli said one of the gangsters fired at the officers in turn shot the two dead and recovered a homemade pistol, a bag containing suspected stolen clothes and a pair of scissors.
Elsewhere, former Mlolongo OCS Stephen Lelei who was feted for bravery during the Westgate Mall siege and Sergent Fredrick Leliman who is currently facing other murder charges were charged in Machakos court with the murder of two people.
The two officers are accused of murdering Jacob Mwenda Mbai and Elizabeth Nduku in Mlolongo.
Leliman took plea via zoom from prison where he is remanded in a case where he is accused of murdering lawyer Willie Kimani, his client and a taxi driver.