Garissa residents accuse police of beating them

Sunday, 5th March 2023

A section of traders in Garissa are seeking justice after allegedly being beaten up by security officers in the ongoing operation against al-Shabaab militants along the Lapsset corridor.

According to a report by Citizen TV, the victims allege that they were held and beaten for four hours by the police officers who accused them of supplying food and water to the militants.

Garissa governor Nathif Jama Adam has condemned the alleged assault against the civilians, and authorities have promised to investigate the matter.

The victims filed complaints at the Garissa police station, and hope the perpetrators can be brought to book and held accountable.

“We were travelling on the road when we met about 20 police officers. The officers ordered us to alight. They then ordered us to remove all our clothes and only left us in our undergarments. They then ordered us to lie down. They then caned us until their hands were tired,” one of the victims said.

“Beating people in the name of looking for intelligence will not help. These are pastoralists who move around even at night with their proboxes because there are problems. Now we are also piling more problems on them by whipping them. That will not help anything,” said Governor Adam.

North Eastern Regional Commissioner John Otieno confirmed receiving complaints and promised to investigate the matter fully. “We have received information and complaints from members of the public alleging that they were beaten up by suspected security organs. This is a matter that is under investigation, and I want to believe that we will get to the bottom of the matter, and the concerned persons, if any, action will be taken against them,” he said.