The Independent Police Oversight Authority(IPOA), on Thursday said it had completed investigations into some cases regarding police brutality and force meted on the Gen Z protestors that saw a record number of demonstrators brutalised and others allegedly killed by the police.....CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE>>>
The authority through its chief Elema Halake, confirmed it had forwarded the files to the Office of Director of Public Investigations which is now expected to peruse through the files and make recommendations on whether adversely mentioned officers should be prosecuted based on the evidence presented before it.
The IPOA chief, while confirming they had recorded fifty six deaths, revealed that they were under intense pressure from the public to conclude the probes.
IPOA also decried the lack of resources to enable them speed up the investigations signaling budget inadequacy to assist them carry out their mandate comprehensively.
“We are committed to having the cases expedited. We are under a lot of pressure from the public and rightly so. The scope of the investigations is challenging because the incidents happened across the whole country and the resources are not adequate,” he said.
Halake also revealed that IPOA was not getting the full support from the victims’ and their families in order to enable them speed up the process.
“We are not getting the full cooperation we need and many witnesses have not come forth to enable us to move with speed. Criminal investigations require forensic support and the evidential threshold is very high.”
IPOA also revealed that they were conducting a risk analysis to have Cathrine Wanjeri, the Nakuru journalist allegedly shot by a police officer, be given security protection.
This was informed by the recent complaint by Wanjeri that her security was at risk after she received threats from the people she claimed could have been behind her shooting.
‘’It is true that there might be someone targeting me. How can I get the courage to come out of my house as a woman when someone you don’t know calls you and even worse, they know your family?’’ She told the media.
Wanjeri’s revelation of the security threats on her life recently attracted the Law Society of Kenya’s attention who condemned the threat on her life.
‘’This should be investigated, the media should not be intimidated, especially a victim of police brutality,’’ Faith Odhiambo, LSK President demanded.
IPOA has been under intense pressure from the public regarding the handling of the brutality cases against the protestors by particularly the police who were accused of highhandedness….CLICK HERE FOR MORE ARTICLE>>>
