Chaani cop on the spot over alleged assault on man, whose sons he arrested

The Independent Police Oversight Authority has stepped in to investigate a case of police brutality in Changamwe.

Martin Kinyoo, 42, a father of two, was last Thursday assaulted by a police officer attached to the Chaani police station after he enquired about the arrest of his two sons.

The two, Edwin and Mutuku Kinyoo, were arrested near a pool table joint in the Mlolongo area of Chaani at around 5.30 pm.

“When I heard that my sons had been arrested, I followed the officers to inquire why. However, near PCEA church, one of them told me not to ask them questions and then came and hit me with a Maasai rungu on the forehead, in front of my children,” Kinyoo said.

The 42-year-old mason fell backwards and fainted.

The officers then left him for dead but an acquaintance, Amon Radingo picked him up and took him to Port Reitz Hospital, later he came back and took care of the bill.

Kinyoo said he had sent one of his sons, a Form Four leaver who is set to join university this year, to fetch water.

“He had seen a man who had promised to get him a job at an EPZ as he waited for a university call-up and had gone to greet him," the father said.

“The other one had also been sent by their mother to buy some food to cook. And he also saw the man who had promised his brother the EPZ job and had gone to greet him. That is when the police arrived and arrested them as they talked with the man at a pool table joint,” the father said.

On Friday, Kinyoo and Radingo, in the company of Muslim for Human Rights’s rapid response officer Francis Auma, reported the matter at the IPOA offices where they were advised to return to Chaani police station to report the matter and get a P3 form.

However, Kinyoo and Auma said they were blocked from reporting the matter or acquiring the P3 form.

“We were chased away by the very inspector who beat Kinyoo up,” Auma said.

“If I, a human rights officer, can be chased away from a police station where I had gone to report an incident together with a victim, what about ordinary citizens, some who are afraid of police stations and police officers?”

Radingo, a businessman who owned the pool table where Kinyoo’s sons were arrested, said the police officers are fond of harassing him and his clients almost daily.

“This is despite me having all the requisite licences to operate my businesses,” he said.

He said he has invested more than Sh20 million in Mombasa in nightclubs, bars and restaurants, but the problem is harassment from police officers who demand bribes.

Kinyoo said he wants justice as he has been having headaches since then.

“He humiliated me. I am not a mad person. I only wanted to know why my sons were arrested. Instead, I got beat up. I want justice. It can’t go away just like that,” Kinyoo said.

Auma said the Changamwe area is notorious for such cases of police brutality.

“We want action taken against the police officer who humiliated Kinyoo in front of his children. Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome has to uproot rogue officers from the police service,” he said.

“This is impunity and torture against innocent Kenyans. It is not right to beat up a Kenyan who innocently enquires why his children have been arrested.

“To make matters worse, you beat up the father in front of his children. The sons are in shock and might need counselling,” Auma said.

He warned against any attempt to cover up saying there have been other incidences where police tried to push such cases under the carpet.

“This man should not be an officer in the National Police Service. He belongs in jail. We are going to stick with this case to the end. We know they will dilly dally with it because it is one of their own but still, justice must prevail, and it will,” Auma said.

IPOA officers who refused to be identified because they did not have the authorisation to speak to the media said they have opened investigations into the case and they will ensure the officer if found culpable, is brought to book.

Changamwe subcounty police commander Kipkoech Beren said he has received the assault complaints against the police officer.

He asked Kinyoo and Radingo to visit his office and make official complaints about the incidents.

“I ask our police officers to ensure good relations between them and the community members. If there is any issue, it must be resolved amicably," Beren said.

“If there is any citizen who feels they have been oppressed by any of our officers, please do not hesitate to come to my office and make a complaint if there is difficulty in reaching the other offices."

He noted that the officer is under investigation and action will be taken against him if he is found culpable of any wrongdoing.