Five police officers in Kitui will stand trial for assaulting and stripping the man

It appears to be the end of the road for five police officers in Kitui who are said to have arrested a man, stripped him and assaulted his private parts. The five are to be charged before the courts and face the full force of the law.

This new development comes after a three-year investigation by The Independent Policing and Oversight Authority (IPOA) has determined that officers, including an inspector, in 2021 took the victim to Ngungani police station where he committed the heinous act.

As reported by NTV, the plight of the victim had to be admitted to Mwingi Level Four Hospital. The victim stated that on October 18, 2021, the police went to his home and accused him of possessing a dangerous weapon.

After a fruitless search for the alleged weapon, officers took him to the station, where they allegedly beat him, stripped him, and grabbed his private parts. The violence is said to have resulted in serious physical injuries that led to his hospitalization for several weeks.

While in hospital the victim was approached by IPOA officers who informed them of their intention to carry out investigations into the incident. Following the conclusion of their investigations, three years later, the five officers were arraigned by the Kitui County Police Commander on December 2, 2024.

However, one of the policemen, believed to be the prime suspect, failed to appear in court, leading to an arrest warrant being issued by the Kyuso District Court’s chief magistrate.

Due to the officer’s failure to comply with the court summons, the prosecution could not proceed with the case as the five officers had been charged jointly. After a request from the prosecutor’s office, the courts issued a new deadline of December 18, 2024, for the officers to enter a plea.

Despite the fact that the victim appears to be on his way to justice, all is not rosy as he has complained of receiving threats from unknown individuals forcing him to drop the charges. The victim claims the individuals warned of dire consequences if she did not bow to their demands.

“Unknown individuals threatened me, demanding a settlement to drop the charges. They say that if I don’t consider their requests, something bad will happen to me,” the victim denounced.

In addition, the victim expressed his deep sorrow at the state of his life over the years, lamenting that he was abandoned by his family. The victim, while talking to NTV, issued a fresh appeal to the government to help him in his plight.

Over the years, numerous reports of police brutality against members of the public have become rampant, leading to calls for police reforms and better oversight. Inspector General of Police, Douglas Kanja, was put in place on the issue that was exposed during the Gen Z protests in July-August.

IPOA has also has been criticized for its laxity in addressing police brutality cases and was urged to pull up his socks when exercising his supervisory role.