Pressure mounts on DPP Ingonga to resign over prosecution of violent police in anti-gov’t demos

Families of protest victims continue to bury their loved ones with calls for the prosecution of the police officers who fell the unarmed demonstrators.

It was the clarion call at the burial of the late 21-year-old Alex Muteti. The late Muteti is among 60 Kenyans who have been killed during the anti-government protests across the country.

It is a pain that the family hopes will be healed through justice. But the recent sentiments by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Renson Ingonga over the killings and lack of witness statements have raised concerns with leaders at the burial calling for his resignation on grounds that he has failed in his duty.

“I want to tell the DPP of this country to resign if he is worthy any salt, If that office is compromised, is intimidated and I believe you are compromised and intimidated then you should resign and if parliament is worthy any salt, Parliament should reconvene and send you home, you cannot deliver justice for Kenyans,” said Makueni Senator Daniel Maanzo.

It is a cry for justice that resonates with hundreds of families, some who lost their loved ones and those who are still recovering from the injuries inflicted by overzealous police officers.

What is more baffling however is the fact that some of these police excesses were captured on camera and some of the family members have already recorded statements.

“Ati wanasema witnesses wote wame withdraw I want to make it clear wetu ako na ameandika statement kwa department zote hata kama watasema amepotea yuko hata niliskia Mama Rex akisema wake amewithdraw ni ile intimidation wako nayo lakini wajue Mungu hata withdraw his Hao wenyewe hawataki kushika polisi wenzao,” Rachel Wanjiru, an aunt to one of the victims. Evans Kiratu, said.

Edith Wanjiku, mother to another victim, added: “Hao wenyewe hawataki kushika polisi wenzao, hawatako kuwachukulia hatua na ukweli saa hizi siezi sema nina ushahidi hiyo bullet niko nayo kwa hivyo tunaambulia patupu.”

On June 20th, a video captured a police officer shooting at a crowd in Nairobi CBD after day-long protests.

It is alleged that this could be the bullet that took away the life of the late Rex Masai.

However, more than a month later, there is no report on whether the officer who fired has been questioned with the DPP only indicating that the primary witness in the case is yet to record a statement.

Another face of police impunity is a police officer captured on camera firing a teargas canister at journalists covering protesters who had been arrested and bundled in a police van.

Frank Okoth sustained six gunshot wounds during the June 25th protests; to date, the police officer who shot Okoth walks freely even as the young man is bedridden at their home in Landi Mawe.

Six deaths were recorded outside parliament on the same day and tens of protesters sustained gunshot wounds.

However, despite all this, no action has been taken against police officers who were captured on camera shooting at the demonstrators.

And close to two weeks after Kameme TV Nakuru correspondent Catherine Wanjeri was shot during the anti-government protests on June 16th, no police officer has ever recorded a statement, let alone being arrested.

This despite allegations that the officer who shot her four times was in this police van that was patrolling Nakuru streets.

Wanjeri is still nursing the gunshot wounds back at home.

Legal experts argue that the DPP has alternatives in law to ensure families of those killed and injured get justice and that lack of witness statements does not hinder the administration of justice.

“First and foremost, you are asking the same killers to make a report for you and to prepare the charges will they do it, the answer is no. The law says you can have an inquest for every single death we want the inquest for Alex Muteti, if you know you have no evidence let us have a public inquest, let the magistrate sit, let the public come and they will give you a report as to who killed Alex so do not say you cannot charge anybody,” Senator Maanzo said.

Despite a directive by President William Ruto to have all those arrested released, and rogue police officers arrested nothing seems to happen, with families left to bear the burden of treating those injured and burying those dead on their own.