Police killings in Garissa spark protests

Garissa residents took to the streets on Saturday afternoon to protest the police killings of two people at Soko ya Ngombe.

The two men were killed and a woman wounded after police fired in the air to disperse a crowd protesting the arrest of a murder suspect.

It started when plainclothes CID officers arrested the suspect who had been on the run for a week, a police officer said, seeking anonymity.

As police were leading the suspect to their vehicle, a crowd gathered, demanding the man be released.

“At this point, the police were overwhelmed and started shooting in the air but the crowd kept surging forward. The two were found lying dead," the officer said.

A wounded woman was hospitalised.

Angry residents marched five kilometres to the Garissa police station and demanded the arrest of the officers. They barricaded the busy Kismayo Road and threw stones at motorists and pedesterians.

At the police station gates, they hurled stones at the police who fired teargas at the crowd. Several people were injured.

Businesses were hurriedly shut down as police took over the town.

On Saturday evening tension was still high.

Police commander Alfred Ongnego said police had gone to arrest a murder suspect who resisted arrest with the help of wananchi.

“In the ensuing confusion, he got a chance to escape. The police chased him and wananchi followed. It became a battle between our officers and wananachi, leading to the unfortunate shooting of the two," Ongnego said.

He said investigations were underway and urged people to remain calm.

MP Aden Duale condemned the killings as "brutality of the highest level".

“I want to condemn in the strongest terms possible the brutality that has led to the  untimely death of TWO innocent Kenyans, Aden Abdi Madobe and Muhiyadin Adow Shibin at Soko ya Ngombe in Garissa Town by the Kenya National Police. I ask the Ministry of Interior and Coordination of the national government and the Kenya Police Service to look into this matter urgently and bring to book the trigger-happy cops,” Duale posted.

He added, “The police officers are known and must be held accountable for their heinous action.We shall not rest until justice is found for those departed souls .My sincere condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Madobe and Shibin. May Allah comfort the family during this time of grief."

(Edited by V. Graham)