‘Drunk’ policeman scalds mandazi vendor with cooking oil
A police officer attached to Kinoo police post is accused of scalding the hand of a 24-year-old man identified as Dennis Kibira with hot cooking oil.
The police officer, who is said to have been “very drunk”, had approached the shop while wielding his gun and ordered the three vendors inside to leave.
In the ensuing melee, the police officer hit the deep frying pan and spilled hot cooking oil on Mr Kibira’s right hand.
The incident happened on Sunday morning and was reported at Kinoo Post Post under OB number 2/18/10/2015.
“He got inside our shop where we usually cook mandazis wielding the gun and asked us to get out. We got scared and ran outside fearing he was a robber because he was not in uniform,” narrated Bernard Omondi, the victim’s colleague and eyewitness.
“Unfortunately, the officer hit the pan that had hot cooking oil and my co-worker got burnt. When we went to report the incident to the police, we found him at the desk.”
LOCKED UP
To add salt to injury, when Mr Kibira went to report the assault together with his workmates, they were arrested and locked up in the cells.
The three were released three hours later on a Sh1,000 cash bail each. They were however not issued with an official cash bail receipt.
“We found the man who assaulted me at the police station. That is when we came to learn that he is a police officer. I stayed inside the cells for three hours with my painful hand,” Mr Kibira told Nairobi News.
“I pleaded with the officer in charge to let me go and seek medical attention and he could hear none of that.”
Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung’wa visited the police post on Wednesday accompanied by the victim and vowed to push for justice.
POLICE HARASSMENT
He said: “I was here the other day because people are complaining about police assault. We built this post using CDF money and we can as well shut it down if it’s not doing any good to the people. I will personally pursue justice for this young man.”
Dagoretti OCPD Rashid Hulbale Mohammed told Nairobi News that said he was aware of the matter and vowed that action would be taken.
“I’m aware of the matter and we are doing investigations. Officers are not above the law and we will have the accused charged if found culpable. The gentlemen will also be refunded their money as well,” said the police boss in a telephone interview.
