LSK demands full disclosure on arrest of police officer who shot hawker during Nairobi protest
Odhiambo says the statement by the police is ambiguous and does not provide any evidence that the officer was arrested
The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) has demanded a full disclosure on the officer arrested yesterday for shooting a hawker in Nairobi during the protests over the killing of teacher and blogger Albert Omondi Ojwang while at the Central Police Station in Nairobi.
Addressing the press today, LSK President Faith Odhiambo said the name and Service number of the officer need to be disclosed by the National Police Service for full accountability and prosecution.
According to the LSK president, the officer must be prosecuted ASAP, as she stated that the officer is a face of impunity and criminality.
“We demand that the officer’s name, identity, and service number be disclosed, and that he be prosecuted promptly. He must be treated as the face of Impunity and criminality within the Police Service, and his ultimate punishment must serve as a lasting deterrent for all officers who undermine and violate their constitutional duties,” Odhiambo stated.
The advocates affirmed that the statement by the police is ambiguous and does not provide any evidence that the officer was arrested.
“We shall not dance to the piper over a statement that is not only ambiguous but also fails to take responsibility for the criminal conduct of the officer in question. From the statement by the National Police Service, there is no evidence that the officer has been indicted for his heinous crime,” they said.
In a video showing the shooting of the victim who was selling face masks near Imenti House during the protest, the officers, one of them who seemed enraged shot him at close range in the head.
The victim, identified as Boniface Kariuki, was rushed to Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), where he underwent surgery, with the bullet being removed.
In an update today, KNH has revealed that the bullet was found on the skull of the victim, with his brain being injured.
KNH shared that a total of sixteen patients were booked in yesterday, with nine being treated and discharged on outpatient as seven are still at the hospital undergoing treatment.
A statement by National Police Service yesterday revealed that the officer involved in the shooting was arrested, even though they did not share his details.
However, the arrested officer has not been presented in any court today.
