Police deny killing two robbery suspects
Central Commissioner Fredrick Shisia has dismissed claims police killed two suspects who were among a group of armed robbers that reportedly attacked a Unaitas Sacco branch in Mununga, Murang’a County.
During a press briefing, Mr Shisia insisted the two suspects were caught in the crossfire after members of a gang operating in the Kigumo constituency opened fire at the officers during a search.
While narrating the turn of events, Mr Shisia noted the police officers were able to arrest two suspects who were coming out of that forest carrying a bag.
The bag contained monies suspected to have been stolen from Unaitas Sacco and the officers insisted the suspects show them where the firearms were.
“So they went back in the forest to assist the officers to trace but unfortunately as the officers were moving in the thicket looking for the position where the firearms were hidden, they were met by gunfire. This prompted them to take cover and engage the other group and it is in the process that the two suspects were fatally injured,” he said.
Over the weekend, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) posted and attached images of the suspects appearing in handcuffs and sitting on the ground.
The post was then edited to show the men in the same attired gunned down. This caused an online uproar with Kenyans questioning why police had been involved in an ‘extra judicial killing’ as well as calling out President William Ruto for ‘not keeping his promise on extrajudicial killings’.
This prompted the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to launch investigations into the shooting of the two men. “The Murang’a county commander, Mr Ali Nuno has since notified the Authority’s Regional Office in Nyeri, of the incident. This is in line with the provisions of the NPS Act,” read the statement.
In response, Mr Shisia said, “They were not killed by our officers. We invite Ipoa to investigate any conduct that they perceive may have been done by officers that is outside the law…let them carry out the investigation and what comes out of it will give us a different outlook.”
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