Many police cases beyond IPOA mandate, convictions a 'milestone' - official

Police officers walk on Juja Road in Nairobi after National Super Alliance supporters closed it during protests on August 9, 2017. /JOSEPH NDUNDA
Police officers walk on Juja Road in Nairobi after National Super Alliance supporters closed it during protests on August 9, 2017. /JOSEPH NDUNDA

A bigger number of cases that are reported to the IPOA falls outside its mandate so relevant authorities have taken over.

This was reported on Friday during a stock-taking policing symposium in Nairobi.

Since its establishment six years ago, the Independent Policing Oversight Authority has received 9,878 complaints.

Seven hundred and forty eight have been forwarded to the Internal Affairs Unit - an National Police Service internal disciplinary body based at Jogoo House in Nairobi.

Nine hundred and eight are within the mandate of the Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet, following referrals to OCPDs an DCIs.

“Some might be issues requiring the simple 'I am sorry'," Inspections, Monitoring and Research Director Stephen Musau said.

Complaints numbering 319 are awaiting police action while

41 are before the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights.

Musau noted, however, that

convictions achieved by the agency were a "milestone" in the quest for accountability by police.

He cited the jailing of popular crime buster Titus Musila alias Katitu and two police officers for the killing of minor Kwekwe Mwandanza in Kwale county in 2014.

IPOA has had only four convictions despite spending Sh3 billion from the National Treasury to run the secretariat and Sh34 million in remuneration to the eight commissioners.

The expenditure does not include donor funding from the international community.

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Peter Kiama, Chief Executive Officer of the Independent Medico-Legal Unit, recommended a freeze in the hiring of police officers, until the UN standard of one police officer to 450 civilians is achieved.

Kiama further said the government should prioritise the training of the more than

100,000 people in the service.

“As much as we are pushing for the UN ratio, we need to insist on quality. For instance, instead of recruiting 10,000 officers, why don't we train them on Service Standing Orders?”

The CEO blamed IPOA, saying action is not taken on filed petitions - IMLU has sent 94 so far.

Kiama added: “The lack of feedback is wanting. Victims pile pressure on us for feedback. The problem is that once we send crucial information to the authority, every other step they take becomes confidential.

"Kenyans have had a very antagonising experience with police since independence. We saw an attempt of that in 2017, a case which was well documented by various organisations."

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