•Boy was shot while peeping from his grandmother's house after hearing gunshots
•The bullet entered his chest and exited through his back, he is recuperating at Coast General Hospital.
Image: ELIAS YAA
Leaders from Rabai subcounty have demanded interdiction of the Rabai police station OCS after the shooting of a 17-year-old boy.
Led by former Rabai-Kisurutini MCA Kenga Mupe, they want the OCS suspended on grounds that he will interfere with the investigations.
Rabai subcounty police commander David Maina confirmed that Bakari Mohammed was shot by the OCS, Philip Lucheveleli, while on patrol at Bambam along the Kaloleni-Mazeras Road on Thursday night.
Residents on Sunday said the shooting brings back memories of teen Asha Kwekwe, who was shot dead by a senior police officer from the same station in 2015.
“The OCS and other officers were on patrol on Thursday night and on reaching Bambam, they heard a commotion from the other side of the road. They arrested four in a group of 10 drinking chang' aa, as the others fled," Maina said.
He added," While they were taking the four to the vehicle, the rest resurfaced pelted stones at the officers, prompting the OCS to open fire."
Maina said the officers did not know the bullet hit someone until about 3am when a woman reported the shooting.
“They went on with the patrol until a woman came to report that her grandson had been shot.”
The shooting is under investigation by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority.
If the OCS continues to stay in office, while there is an active investigation against him, will compromise the outcome of the investigations, Mupe said.
“It has been confirmed the OCS shot the innocent boy who was in their house with his grandmother. We want the OCS to be removed with immediate effect so that the probe can be done,” the MCA said.
Rabai Liberty Group coordinator Said Charo said the OCS, as the head of the station, can influence investigations if he is not removed.
The residents called off their demonstration at the station on Tuesday after consulting the subcounty police commander.
“But if after one week if the OCS will not have been removed. We will demonstrate to seek his removal,” Charo said.
Mohammed’s grandmother said he was shot while peeping from the house after the officers raided the mnazi drinking den.
“Mohammed told me he could hear a police vehicle coming towards our house. We went to the door and immediately heard a bang. He told me it was a gun shot and he went to his room. He told me that the bullet had hit him on the upper chest to the left side. I found him lying in a pool of blood,” she said.
Mohammed was taken to Shika Adabu Dispensary, then Mariakani Subcounty Hospital where he was referred to Coast General Hospital. He is recuperating.
The bullet entered the chest and exited through the back.
Charo said the impact of the bullet at the exit point indicates the victim was shot at close range. He wants the government to pay the medical expenses.
Maina said the station will cooperate with the investigating agencies/