• The police boss has proposed that this be stopped to serve as punishment when the faces of suspects are splashed all over for all to see.
• “So, your Excellency, we must change the way we have been doing things. We must be ruthless if we want to save the society,” the IG said.
Image: SCREENGRAB
Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome has raised concern over a tendency of suspects to appear in court donning face masks to hide their identity.
The police boss wants the habit stopped to serve as punishment when the faces of suspects are splashed all over for all to see.
“Your Excellency imefika pahali hizi face masks tunaruhusu maabusu akienda kortini anaweka pamoja na goggles kubwa na kofia hata hujui sura tufikirie,” he said.
(Your Excellency, it has gotten to a point where we should review this habit of suspects going to court in face masks, huge goggles, and a cap such that you can’t see their faces)
The IG was speaking Monday in Mombasa during the Coast Region Alcohol and Drug Abuse Conference presided over by Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
“Si tuwaone wakienda kortini? At least hiyo punishment kidogo kuonekana na kila mtu…lazima wapate aibu,” he added.
(Shouldn’t we see them going to court? Let it at least be some sort of punishment when everyone sees them…they must be ashamed)
Koome said it’s time this practice is changed and suspects presented in court without hiding their identity.
“So, your Excellency, we must change the way we have been doing things. We must be ruthless if we want to save the society,” the IG said.
The IG regretted that alcoholism has become a huge problem amongst the youth aged below 35 who have thrown all caution in the air despite the health risks presented by the habit.
He cited a case of a young man in his rural home who he said disregarded his advice saying “IG wacha ini yangu ikae kando pombe ipite” (IG let the liver move aside to allow alcohol passage).
“You know that is the ignorance. Ati ini inafanya nini kwa barabara ya pombe (What is the liver doing on alcohol’s path?)”
“We can’t continue this way,” Koome said and assured the DP that he would be ruthless in dealing with those involved in the sale of illicit alcohol.
He said he has nothing to fear since he has no intention of venturing into politics or risking losing his political fan base.
“Mimi sitishwi, mimi si mwanasiasa, sifahamu siasa na hata kule kwetu Meru sitaki kwenda kwa siasa. Nimepatiwa kazi nifanye, sina uoga,” he said.
(I’m not scared, I’m not a politician, I don’t understand politics and I have no intention of joining politics back home in Meru. I have been given a job to do, I’m not scared)
The IG called on police officers to make a similar resolve and crackdown on illicit brew outlets and stop the menace which recently claimed at least 17 lives in Kirinyaga County.
He advised them against being intimidated further urging them to be focused on executing their mandate without fear or favour.
“My fellow officers, you must make a decision…either you want to serve your country, ukikubali hizo simu unapigiwa utatuambia unapigiwa na nani (If you heed to those calls you are receiving you will have to tell us who called you).”
Koome said the service has already cracked the whip and sacked officers who allegedly sold exhibit illicit brew in Mwea, Kirinyaga County, which led to the deaths.
“Wale maofisa waliuza exhibit wote walienda kortini, na walienda kortini wakiwa raia. Sijui huko pia walienda wakivaa face masks, wangeenda kila Mkenya ajue ndio hawa maofisi wale walituuzia exhibit.
(The officers who sold the exhibit all went to court, and they went as civilians. I don’t know whether they also went wearing face masks. They should have gone without so that Kenyans could see who sold them exhibit)
Koome said he has decided to lead by example with his service commanders and he will expect nothing short of total adherence to the set example.
In that breath, the IG gave Mombasa police four days to arrest drug barons in the county saying they should be behind bars by the time his four-day stay in the Coastal city is up.
"I am here on duty for about four days. We must get a baron within those four days, we have no option," Koome said.
"What we are saying is those drug barons must be arrested and thrown in Landcruisers, no Subaru anymore," he added.
Meanwhile, Gachagua questioned the silence of Coastal leaders in the war on drugs saying they appear to have taken a back seat in the fight against illicit brew and drugs.
He singled out Nyali MP Mohamed Ali who he said has been vocal about the menace but wondered why the other leaders were so quiet and even skipped the important forum on how to end the “serious crisis in Mombasa”.