KILIFI, KENYA: At a small village in Kaloleni Constituency Kilifi county called Tsangatsini a sombre mood welcomes me and my fellow journalists on a chilly Wednesday morning.
Fondo’s family is morning the loss of one of their own in the hands of police officers.
To them the men in blue whom they have entrusted in giving them security have instead turned to be the other way round a source of sorrow, anger, pain and the list is endless.
Katana Kazungu a class seven boy at Ndatani Primary school was killed after some police officers from Mariakani police station invaded their village on a mission to find a vehicle which has been reported missing.
According to Katana’s Father Kazungu Fondo after the police invaded the village they started shooting aimlessly and a stray bullet left Katana dead.
“We started looking for our 17 years old son after the incident but we could not find him. We reported to Mariakani police station where we were issued with a letter to go the Coast General hospital mortuary only to know that Kazungu was dead.” Reveald the father.
Speaking at the village to console the family of Fondo ,the area member of parliament Paul Katana condemned the act and called for immediate arrest of all the police officers involved.
He said it is evident that the police officers are using excessive force to threaten, abuse and harass people who have no offence at all.
Katana said with the help of some human rights organisations they will make a follow up of the case and the post-mortem and also conduct demonstrations to make sure that all those who are involved are brought to book.
“How can one shoot a young boy from the village and claim they have killed a thug, can the police show us where they published Katana Kazungu as a wanted criminal?”. Asked the legistlature.
The area Member of county assembly Alphonce Mwayaa also condemned the act and urged the government to make sure that all those who are involved are charged.
Kaloleni OCPD Inspector Kennedy Onsando said they have launched an investigation into that and promised that all who were involved in that operation at Tsangatsini Village will be brought to book.
“Investigations are on and already we have taken action and once the investigations are over appropriate action will be taken as per the law.” Said the OCPD.
Katana’s story is an example of such cases where ICJ Kenya call for immediate investigations and the police be put behind bars instead of concentrating with petty offenders and putting them behind bars and end up congesting the prisons.
According to the Kenyan constitution, The Bill of Rights catalogues numerous safeguards for the right to dignity; freedom from cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment; freedom and security of the person; right to equality and freedom from discrimination; right to privacy; freedom of association and freedom of movement, but despite all these, the country’s justice system is yet to realise its full potential in terms of guaranteeing the various aspects of fair treatment of those facing charges that are either civil or criminal in nature.
The commission says denial of access to justice and delays in prosecution are still abound of which their efforts are being directed to petty offenders.
Further they state that cases of arbitrary arrests, detention for long period without trial, denial of access to justice and delays in prosecution are still abound.
Although the Fondo’s case does not fall under petty offences, with the programme which ICJ Kenya have come up with in making sure petty offenders are released from prisons it’s a hope that it will create space for such police officers who use force in responding to incidents to be tried and put behind bars.
Ruth Keah, Kilifi, Kenya.
