Lawyer Nelson Havi has waded into the incident where Kenyan rapper Khaligraph Jones was captured on camera being whipped by police officers during Wednesday, June 25, protest in Nairobi.
Speaking while commenting on the conduct of law enforcement officers in the country during protests, the lawyer questioned the underlying motive behind the police proceeding to unleash whips on the rapper, who he says was going about his business peacefully.
He says the law enforcers were intent on provoking him to a scuffle and possibly creating a justification to shoot him.
Havi says there was no justification for such conduct from the law enforcement officers.
Provocative behaviour
“Look at the cases reported last week. I never saw a single incident of a policeman confronting anybody looting a shop. But I saw an incident of the police shooting protesters. What, for example, was the underlying reason for the police to whip Khaligraph Jones? He was just walking; the police were intent on provoking him so that a scuffle could ensue, and shoot him,” he stated while being interviewed by a local TV station.
He further warned that the police should be aware that they will be held accountable for their actions.
“Every police officer understands that the moment you misuse your firearm, you will be on your own, and you will be charged with murder or manslaughter. At the time, you will be on yourself to demonstrate you used reasonable force. How, for example, can you justify the shooting of Boniface Kariuki, who was only selling a mask?” He posed.
The sentiments come amid a wider discussion over police conduct in the country and the recent uproar over CS Kipchumba Murkomen’s controversial order, when he instructed police to shoot people storming police stations or endangering the lives of the law enforcement agencies.
Khaligraph whipped in protests
In the video shared online, a number of police officers were seen unleashing a whip on Khaligraph Jones, who was in the company of Arrow Boy. The two had joined protesters on the first anniversary of the June 25 protest in Nairobi.
The whipping followed after the police had also inexcusably tried to disperse a handful of people by lobbing tear gas at them, despite there seeming no cause for such an act on the individuals, who posed no security concern or threat to peace at the moment.
