- Home Affairs Minister Kipchumba Murkomen condemned the brutal attack by youths in Nandi Hills, calling the actions of the officers barbaric and unacceptable
- He confirmed that investigators from the NPS and IPOA have been dispatched, while the Inspector General is already involved in the matter
- Murkomen vowed that any officers found guilty would be arrested, charged, fired, and brought to justice
Minister of Interior Dating Murkomen He has spoken about the atrocities committed against a group of youths in Nandi Hills.
Source: Twitter
The minister, speaking in Mombasa on Friday, January 16, said that the officers seen in the CCTV video that went viral will face justice if the investigation finds them guilty.
They were seen beating twelve young men who were playing pool together in the town of Nandi Hills.
“It’s barbaric, it’s unacceptable, it’s barbaric, it’s against the constitution, it’s against the law. And I must say that that’s not what we expect from our police service. The issue of police brutality is an issue that we must deal with, and deal with firmly,” the Minister said.
How Murkomen responded to police brutality in Nandi Hills
Murkomen noted that although he promised to defend law enforcers when they are unfairly targeted through the justice system, he will not stop pursuing disciplinary and legal action against them when they err.
“I have announced before that I will defend police officers who find themselves facing charges because of doing their job. But it is not our job to defend police officers who commit crimes,” he said.
According to Murkomen, the events in the video speak of crimes on the part of the police, noting that action will be taken.
He disclosed that after questioning the Inspector General of Police, Douglas Kanja, on the matter.
At the same time, investigators from the National Police Service (NPS) were sent to investigate the circumstances in which the youths were attacked.
The Independent Police Oversight Authority (IPOA) also indicated that it has sent its team to investigate the matter.
“What we see from that initial video is criminal activity, a gathering of police officers beating youths. We consulted with the IG earlier. He has already sent a team from the local unit. IPOA has also sent a team to investigate,” Murkomen said.
The minister announced that, if the investigation found the officers guilty, they would be fired and brought to justice.
“Those officers who will be found guilty of committing that act will be arrested. They will be charged. And I can assure you that they will also lose their jobs if they are found guilty. In such cases, we must show that the National Police Service and the government of Kenya do not agree with police brutality. And that is completely unacceptable,” he said.
How Nandi Hills police attacked the youths who were playing pool
CCTV footage showed a group of about twelve youths quietly playing pool in a hall with two pool tables when police officers entered the hall.
The recording of Saturday night, January 10, did not show any signs of crime when the officers arrived.
The youths were ordered to lie on the floor while the officers took pool sticks and used them to beat them.
The officers demanded identification and questioned why the men were still out dancing late at night.
Source: UGC
Despite the youth’s explanation, the attack continued, with officers taking turns before finally leaving the venue.
Only after confirming that the officers had left did the young men slowly rise from the floor.
Did the youth of Nandi Hills report the attack?
At the same time, the young people presented their official complaint at the Nandi East sub-county police headquarters.
They claimed that they were injured, their phones were destroyed, and their money was taken by officers.
The Rift Valley police commander, Samuel Mukusi, confirmed that the officers involved will face investigation and strict disciplinary action if found guilty.
Earlier, the head of the Nandi Hills Police Station explained that the officers were not from his station but from the Rapid Deployment Unit, a higher branch of the Administrative Police Service.
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