Monday, June 01, 2015
Police have launched investigations after images of alleged officer brutality in Garissa county surfaced online.
The photos, showing young men lying on their bellies and being whipped, were allegedly taken and posted by a senior police officer from Garissa.
Last week, police officers on a security mission were attacked in the area and at least one officer was killed and others injured.
Garissa county commissioner James Kianda denied any knowledge of the police brutality.
“The officers who posted the photos and others involved will face disciplinary action, of course subject to validation,” he said.
"This is not how we want to fight terrorism." Inspector General Joseph Boinett confirmed that investigations are underway. "We will act," he replied to a short message sent to him.
The victims are said to have been rounded up in Yumbis and neighbouring villages in Fafi subcounty.
In the background, officers are seen laughing as an armed plain clothes officer beats up the youth and another one steps on them.
A police car and white Toyota Lancruiser are also seen at the scene.
It is not yet clear what prompted the actions by the police and where the victims were later taken.
The photos are likely dent the already battered public image of the police in the wake of the war on terror.
Macharia Njeru, the chair of the Independent Police Oversight Authority, said investigations will be carried out upon verification of the photos.
“We are very clear on issues of police misconduct. If at all misdeeds are proved, law will take its course,” Njeru said.
The images were posted by a senior officer Michael Orita, whose rank is not immediately known.
“These Somali young men came to Garissa for a purpose but little did they know we r smarter than them (sic)” he posted Orita on his Facebook page on Saturday.
Kenyans on social media criticised the alleged police brutality against locals.
The images appeared days after similar ones appeared of a man who was severely beaten by security agents in Wajir.
There are reports of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearance allegedly perpetuated by the police.
Wajir West MP Abdikadir Ore said such actions by the security agents are the reason the war on terror “cannot be won”.
“This perhaps explains why the community has not been co-operating with security officers,” he said.
His counterpart from Wajir North Ibrahim Saney asked the government to earn trust among residents to win the war against al Shabaab.