Street urchin demands justice after alleged assault by the Police in Mombasa

Mombasa

Wed, August 16, 2023

KNA by Sadik Hassan

A 20-year-old street boy in Mombasa is seeking justice after he was allegedly beaten and badly injured by police officers from the Central Police Station.

Derrick Kairu Gakuo said that the incident occurred on August 6 when he was watching football with other revelers at a pub within Mombasa CBD around 7:30 pm.

Gakuo narrated that four individuals in plain clothes claiming to be Police Officers alighted from a private car and pounced on him as he had stepped out of the pub ordering him to get into the car parked across.

“They grabbed and ordered me to get in a private car but I refused to enter the car because I did not know who they were,” recalled Gakuo. “From there they started beating me up with rungus as they forced me into the car.”

Gakuo said that more officers in uniform from the Central Police Station arrived in a van and also pounced on him as they dragged him to the waiting police van.

He was arrested alongside other 14 revelers and they were taken to cell. He fractured his right arm and leg during the beating, but police still took him in.

“I was wailing in excruciating pain in the cell, and that’s when the officers decided to remove me and threw me outside the police station. A good Samaritan picked me up and took me to the Coast General teaching and referral hospital where I was treated and released,” Gakuo said.

Gakuo, who was working in a car wash now says that he has no one to depend on and has been sleeping hungry since he is unable to work.

He approached the Muslim for Human Rights (MUHURI) organization to help him seek justice.

Paul Njoroge who was arrested with him wondered why the police were beating them mercilessly for no apparent reason.

“The beatings continued in the van and even after we arrived at the station. We tried pleading with the police to stop but our cries fell on deaf ears.

I wonder why the police would be so inhumane and treat us like animals just because we are homeless people,” said Njoroge.

Njoroge said that they were taken to court and were charged with illegal dumping. Those who pleaded guilty were jailed for three days at the Mombasa Remand Prison in Kingorani while those who pleaded not guilty were remanded for two weeks.

“The police should treat us like humans. We are just humans like them despite being homeless,” Njoroge said.

MUHURI Rapid Response Officer Francis Auma condemned the action by the police. Auma said that they have taken up the matter to see that Kairu and Njoroge get justice.

“These incidents are no longer strange since the inspector general of police and the president praised the police for doing ‘good’ work during demonstrations where several protestors were injured, maimed and some died,” Auma said adding, “MUHURI will take up this matter with the seriousness it deserves. We shall explore all legal avenues because the officers are well known.”

Auma said that the police have now gained the confidence to continue with their impunity against innocent citizens since they have the backing of the state.

Auma said that they had already written to the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) who have agreed to take up the matter.

“MUHURI is also asking the office of the Director of Public Prosecution not to be used to prefer trumped-up charges against innocent people. You are failing us and encouraging impunity of rogue officers,” he said.

However, Mombasa Urban Sub-County Police Commander (SCPC) Maxwell Agoro when reached for comment was cagey with information regarding the assault on the grounds the OCS Central Police Station has not furnished him with details.

The SCPC urged the assaulted young man and his colleagues to file a report in his office to enable him to launch an investigation against the rogue police officers from Central Police.

Courtesy ; K. N. A