Following media reports, IPOA noted with deep concern
cases of alleged police brutality meted out to members of the
public in Mumias arising from the reported loss of Police arms
and ammunition at Booker Police post.
While IPOA condemns injury of a police offi cer and
stealing of the guns and ammunition and acknowledges
the need for action by police in recovering these arms
and bringing the off enders to justice, there is however
no justification whatsoever for the attacks witnessed on
members of the public, rape and destruction of their property
or indeed involvement in criminality in whatever form.
The National Police Service is enjoined under Article
244 of the Constitution to strive for the highest standard
of professionalism and discipline among its members;
comply with constitutional standards of human rights and
fundamental freedoms; train staff to the highest possible
standards competence and integrity and to respect human
rights and fundamental freedoms and dignity; and foster
and promote relationships with the broader society.
This
provision is often times observed by police in breach than in
compliance.
There is no room in an orderly democratic society that
believes in the rule of law for collective punishment.
That criminal elements could brazenly attack a police
station and steal arms weaponry is the height of impunity.
It is however an indictment on police preparedness and
intelligence gathering in preventing commission of crime of
this magnitude.
Thus, following the reports, and pursuant to its statutory
mandate, IPOA proceeded to launch investigations to
determine culpability of off ending police offi cers with a view
to making appropriate recommendations.
In the course of
looking in the matter, the authority will consider all angles of
the attack with a view of establishing if there were procedural
and operational gaps such as how a lone police offi cer was
assigned to man the police post which had stores, munitions,
guns besides public property.
Our investigators are already on the ground trying, not just
to establish claims of brutality residents have leveled against
the police offi cers, but what led to the lapses that made it easy
for the attack to succeed in the manner it did.
The purpose of
our investigations is not to pass judgment. Or even to bring
punishment to those responsible for the lapse. Rather it is
aimed at highlighting the gaps that led to this attack.
It is
aimed at helping the service redeem the situation and ensure
similar attacks do not happen again.
So far, our investigators have made major strides since they
arrived in Mumias last weekend. Currently, they are based at
the Christian Growth Church in Shibale where they are taking
statements on witness accounts of what transpired before
and during the course of the ongoing operation.
The presence
of the investigators has given those Kenyans complaining of
police brutality, an opportunity to explain and share their
stories. We are encouraging them to come out, lodge their
complaints and not have fear of any repercussions.
The work is expected to end by the close of business today
(Friday). IPOA has received lots of useful information.
The
information so far received is suffi cient to give us the public’s
side of the story of exactly what happened.
The
authority is
now fi nalising collecting the accounts from members of the
police service who have been cooperative. Once done next
week, we shall retreat, prepare a report and assign culpability,
if any and give our recommendations in areas we believe the
service needs to improve on.
Be it as may, it is IPOA’s view that the police service ought
to move away from being reactionary but an intelligenceguided
institution if these kind of attacks have to be weeded
out.
The service needs to invest in early detection of crime
rather than being reactionary.
We have advanced this suggestion to the police service
and they have been very receptive. It has worked in the antiterrorism
war where investment in intelligence is working. If
the same is applied in the fi ght against crime, it will save the
service from the kind of negative information being told from
Mumias.
Dennis Danson Oketch is Head, Communications and
Outreach, IPOA