A man has been injured after a police-involved shooting in Ciothirai Giaki village in Imenti North, Meru County Sunday afternoon, Ciothirai Police said.
According to Kairothi, the officer slapped the victim identified as Jona, knocking him to the ground and when he got to his feet, he shoved the officer.
She said that the officer threatened to shoot him before brandishing a pistol and shooting him at close range.
“We were at home with my mother when police officers arrived and demanded that Jonah surrender for arrest. He resisted arrest by putting his hands in his pockets and demanding to know why he was being held. One of the cops told him he had to surrender or risk being shot,” Kairothi said.
Kairothi said that after Jona was shot, the people who were at the scene ran for their lives leaving her sister at the scene because she had a baby.
“She told us that Jona lay in a pool of blood and that the officer dialed a phone call to a colleague named Simiyu, who was on the trail of another suspect. They went behind our house and began whispering in low tones when he arrived. They ordered us to remain silent, failing which we would be arraigned and forced to confess what we had murmured about,” said Kairothi.
According to Kairothi, the officers dispersed them once more, including her two cousins, before returning to the scene and collecting Jona’s blood mixed with soil with a machete and placing it in his pocket.
“They forced him to walk while he was bleeding, and when he complained about the pain from the bullet lodged in his body, they told him to stand up and walk or risk being hit. They walked for a while before calling for backup before a police vehicle arrived and they drove away,” said Kairothi.
According to a government official, the bullet did not strike any of the suspect’s organs but only made contact with soft tissue, which was subject to confirmation.
“The victim has been admitted at Meru Level 5 hospital and is in stable condition. The incident occurred, and there is no going back. We will investigate the police officers and launch an investigation to determine the best course of action. I respectfully request that eyewitnesses record their statements so that we can determine the next steps,” said a government official.
He said that the DCI was looking into the matter, and members of the community would be informed of the outcome.
According to Kirimi, Ciothirai location, Giaki division Chief, The victim was shot at Kithinji’s home, and the reason for the shooting had not been revealed.
“According to sources, the police went to arrest a suspect named Lucas. The suspect is said to be at odds with his sister at home. According to reports, the officer mistook Jona for Lucas and shot him. If they intended to shoot Lucas, they should not have done so because he has not been arraigned in court and proven guilty,” said Kirimi.
Kirimi urged the members of the community to refrain from further property destruction and to wait for the results of the investigations to reveal the truth.
“I’ve briefed all relevant authorities on the situation, and I’m expecting a response soon, after which I’ll release the information to the public,” said Kirimi.
An eyewitness said the members of the community did not have justice they were being shot in their homes by police officers who were supposed to be protecting them.
“When robbers arrive late at night with vehicles and rob us, police officers do not respond. The DC should investigate the police officer and respond to our complaints because there was no justice at all,” she said.
Another eyewitness urged the OCS to look into the misconduct of his police officers because they had taken away a father and husband from a family. He called for the police officers to be relocated.
