Wajir Police shoot dead 12-year-old boy in demos after KWS officers killed suspected poachers

Friday, 5th May 2023

Police in Wajir shot dead a 12-year-old boy on Friday in demonstrations that erupted after Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) officers shot dead two suspected poachers.

Wajir residents had taken to the streets to demand the arrest and prosecution of the KWS officers who they claim were quick to kill instead of using other means to apprehend the suspects.

During the demonstrations, the police resorted to using live bullets, killing the young boy instantly.

Reports indicate that the bullet caught the boy on the head.

The police command in Wajir is yet to issue a statement on the occurrence, even as the town is still engulfed in tension.

In the earlier event, KWS officers claimed that the suspected poachers had declined their order to stop their vehicle when they opened fire.

The locals however refuted the KWS officers’ explanation and accused them of extrajudicial killings.

 “This is a serious matter, and we would not sit back and watch. If they had committed a crime, they should have been arrested and processed for arraignment,” one of the protesters said.