Mwea residents demand justice after civilian assaulted by police officer

Monday, 17th April 2023

Residents  of South Ngariama in Mwea East, Kirinyaga County, over the weekend stormed Itangi Police Station in protest after an officer allegedly attacked and seriously injured a businessman on Friday night.

The angry residents said police brutality has become a norm in the area, where officers harass residents while demanding bribes.

The residents said the victim was riding home on his motorcycle at around 9:00 p.m. when he was stopped by police officers, upon which one of them started beating him until he lost consciousness.

Citizen TV quotes an area resident to say the police did not take their victim to hospital until 1:00 a.m. on Saturday.

He is currently admitted at the Kimbimbi hospital.

The residents said the police officers had turned their station into a cash minting venture, where civilians who seek services are asked to part with money instead of getting help.

They also accused the police officers of taking bribes from criminals in exchange for their freedom.

It took the intervention of Mwea East Police commander Daniel Kitavi who, after visiting the station, assured the residents that he had also paid a visit to the victim and he was recuperating well. Kitavi said that the police officer in question has been moved out of the station and that the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has commenced probe, adding that action will be taken if the cop is found culpable.