Police officers linked to the alleged death of a minor at the Kambuu police station in Makueni county have been grilled.
The death happened in a debt collection case saga that police had joined in efforts to solve it. The issue went bad leaving a child dead.
Preliminary findings show during the arrest, one police officer allegedly turned violent and slapped the mother who was holding her baby.
Unfortunately, one of the slaps missed her and landed on her baby's head instead, police and the family say.
Despite the baby's cries of pain, the officers disregarded the situation and proceeded to lock both the mother and the baby in the police cells where the baby boy died, the report shows.
The three officers were questioned as a team from the Independent Policing Oversight Authority joined the probe in an effort to ensure justice for the minor.
Ipoa chair Anne Makori said that the Authority has initiated investigations into the tragic death of the minor who was in police custody when he died.
She said her team had visited the scene and interviewed a number of witnesses. Makori said the investigation aims to uncover the circumstances leading to the minor's death.
“Upon completion of the investigation, and where criminal culpability is proven Ipoa will recommend prosecution,” she said.
The child was at the station where his mother, Zipporah Mutheu, was detained. In the incident, Mutheu had been arrested on Wednesday, May 29, and taken into custody alongside her one-and-a-half-year-old baby.
The woman was reportedly assaulted by the officers who apprehended her, and it was alleged that some of the slaps landed on the baby.
A team of detectives in the area had also initiated an investigation into the matter. This was after the family reported on the death and complained officially.
Former Nairobi governor Mike Sonko said he would send a lawyer to pursue the matter and ensure justice as he called for swift investigations.
“Through my small voice, I'm humbly and kindly appealing for a quick and thorough investigation into this matter so that Ziporah Muteti and her late baby can get justice. Later in the day, I shall be sending a team of lawyers to do a thorough follow-up as well,” he said.
