• Nyanza police told human rights activists in Kisumu to exercise professionalism and desist from malicious allegations.
• Stop witch-hunt against officers meant to vilify them.
Kisumu human rights activists have been asked to exercise professionalism and desist from making malicious allegations against police officers.
Nyanza regional police commander Vincent Makhoha said security is a collective responsibility and asked the activists to focus on issues that benefiting citizens.
He said the activists were often as personal war with police.
“We do acknowledge the crucial role the activists play but it should be done without witch-hunting or malice that only aims at vilifying officers,” Makhoha told the Star on phone on Monday.
He was responding to a petition by Kisumu City Residents Voice chairman Audi Ogada who accused officers of abetting crime.
Makhoha said the claims were malicious and unfounded. He said Ogada was trying to get back at police after his son was arrested for criminal activities.
“This man is a criminal who only hide under the activists activities. He is at personal war with police officers for his selfish gains. Let him provide the public with documentations of his organisations,” Makhoha said.
He said Ogada was cooking up stories to vilify officers. “Let him tell the public why he’s defending even dangerously armed thugs. His son is a criminal and at one point tried to block his arrest."
Ogada raised concern against police officers allegedly involved in criminal activities. He blamed them for security lapses in Kisumu.
In his petition, he wants Makhoha to take action against the officers. Ogada claimed two "untouchable" fraudsters were released from a police station in unclear circumstances.
“Last week, two fraudsters only identified as Vincent and Swalle robbed a pilot of Sh9 million and another person of Sh3 million on the pretext of selling them a ghost land in Homa Bay. They were arrested by civilians and taken to the police station. Surprisingly, the two were immediately released and more shocking is that the civilians who made arrest were the ones locked in and booked for abduction," Ogada said.
He said the civilians were later released. The Sh11 million was deposited in the accounts of two prominent lawyers, Ogada claimed.
Makhoha denied the allegations saying the suspects were arrested by police and investigations were ongoing.
“We have 11 land fraudsters and their accomplices under investigations,” Makhoha said.
Ogada also cited an incident where notorious criminals carjacked a trailer from Uganda and deposited fuel at Desnol petrol station along Kiboswa road on the Kisumu- Kakamega road.
The fuel, Ogada said, was re-drained in the presence of police officers before the trailer was released to the owner, a Uganda-based businessman.
“It is questionable that only one suspect who led the officers to the petrol station was arrested,” Ogada said.
Last month, two police officers turned criminals invaded residents of Carwash area and arrested several people with electronics items suspected to have been stolen, Ogada said.
Ogada said one of the suspects who did not have money at the time of the arrest was taken to Carwash police post and forced to pay Sh6,000 before being released without bond.
“Police retained the goods and the original receipts were taken by police from the owner,” he said. Ogada said the search was unlawful.
Edited by Peter Obuya