IG Mutyambai takes action after viral video of police brutality at JKUAT

The Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai has directed the service's Internal Affairs Unit to investigate officers filmed attacking a JKUAT student.

Through a statement issued on Tuesday, the IG gave the IAU to submit its recommendations over the officers' brutal actions within 24 hours.

"Our attention has been drawn to a video clip circulating on social media of officers applying what appears to be excessive force on a JKUAT student on Monday," Mutyambai said.

Interior CS Fred Matiang'i said he had observed the events at JKUAT with profound concern maintaining that the use of force by police is clearly outlined in the National Police Standing Orders.

"I have spoken to the IG and we both agree that firm and decisive action shall be taken against any officer who used excessive force, within the next 24 hours," Matiang'i said.

The officers had responded to restore order after JKUAT students rioted and blocked the Thika Superhighway.

The students had engaged Juja police in running battles for two hours during which motorists could not pass through the town.

The learners accused the law enforcers of not protecting them from criminals. They claimed that knife-wielding criminals waylay them from as early as 6pm and rob them of cash, phones and laptops.

The university was closed via a memo from the acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor in charge of academic affairs.

The Jomo Kenyatta Students’ Association said through president Clinton Osoro and secretary-general Bruce Akach that criminals attacked two students a fortnight ago, leaving them with deep knife wounds.

The IG warned that police action should never be punitive and should instead focus on maintenance of law and order and processing offenders to court.

"Officers have been trained on the need to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms, and that, use of force must be legal and of necessity to the needs of justice; it must be applied to the extent that it remains proportionate to the gravity of the offence and with full accountability," the IG said.  

The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has also dispatched its Rapid Response Team to investigate the use of force, firearms and any other misconduct against police officers involved in the incident.

Amnesty International welcomed the 24-hour commitment by Interior CS Fred Matiang'i and the IG for the arrests of officers involved in the violence.

"We call upon the Internal Affairs Unit of the NPS (IAU), the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) and the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) to commence investigations into the cause of the violence and the necessity and proportionality of the use of force by the police officers," Amnesty said in a statement.

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