• Another resident says police officers went into her house and tore her clothes and also assaulted three family members.
• County commissioner denies knowledge of any incidents of police harassing or assaulting members of the public during the curfew.
A family in Lamu is demanding justice for a relative allegedly roughed up in his house by police officers enforcing the curfew.
Mohamed Omar, 31, is being treated at King Fahad Hospital in Lamu town for serious head, chest, waist and limb injuries.
He says the officers attacked him at his Matondoni home in Lamu East over the weekend.
Omar, who is a boat operator, said from his hospital bed on Wednesday, that he was watching TV around 7.30pm and had left the door ajar due to heat.
Suddenly, more than 10 security officers burst into the house and forced him out. He complied but they descended on him with blows and no explanation.
“I screamed as I asked them what I had done wrong. I thought they were going to kill me. They hit me with the butts of their guns and clubs as I lay on the ground writhing in pain. None of them told me why I was being beaten," Omar told the Star.
As if that was not enough, the officers ransacked his house and destroyed two sofa sets. They also harassed women who were in the house before taking away Sh12,000, he said.
“They should return my hard-earned money. That is my sweat," he said adding that he could not understand why the officers who were supposed to protect the citizenry could steal from a common mwananchi.
"I have never been so angered and disappointed in my life,” he said.
His mother, Fathiya Abdalla, ssought to be told what her shad done to warrant such a beating from the police.
“It was curfew time and we were all inside the house. Nobody has explained anything even after beating my son and taking the money. We hope the government won’t use this curfew to kill and frustrate poor people like us,” Fathiya said.
Muslims for Human Rights condemned the incident, accusing police of using excessive force on innocent Kenyans since the imposition of the curfew to curb the spread of coronavirus.
Muhuri county field officer Umulkher Salim said their office is liaising with the county commissioner to get to the bottom of the matter.
She said apart from the recent case, they are also following up on reports that Nyasumani Suleiman, 21, was harassed by police officers enforcing the curfew at Kizingitini last week.
Three police officers allegedly entered her house and assaulted her and three other family members.
Nyasumani said the officers also tore her clothes with intent to expose her nakedness.
“We condemn all these. If there is any reason to arrest people let the police do so and charge them in accordance with the law instead of beating and dehumanising them,” Salim said.
County commissioner Irungu Macharia said he was unaware that police were harassing or assaulting the public during curfew.
He promised to investigate.
“No one has reported to my office that they have been assaulted by an officer. If something like that has happened, come and tell me about it so that the law can take its course,” he said.
Edited by R.Wamochie