IG Koome wants suspects barred from wearing face masks, hoodies in court

Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome is proposing a ban on face masks, hooded sweaters and glasses which partially conceal a suspect’s face when they are being arraigned in court.

Koome on Monday said suspects need to go through humiliation by letting their full face be seen by everyone to discourage others who might potentially get into the activities the suspects are accused of.

“We have allowed suspects to wear face masks in court for too long now; they are wearing masks, large goggles and hoodies such that you cannot see their faces. We have to rethink these things,” the police boss said in Mombasa during the Coast Region Conference on Ending Illicit Brews and Drugs Abuse.

“We need to see them, at least there is some punishment for being seen by everyone… they need to be shamed. Your Excellency, we must change the way we have been doing things; we have to be ruthless if we want to change society.”

Koome, who was addressing stakeholders among them President William Ruto, his deputy Rigathi Gachagua and Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki, said youth in the region have gotten into drugs and “they don’t care.”

He accused police bosses in Mombasa of reluctance to arrest so-called drug barons and gave them a maximum of four days to apprehend at least one of the people accused of peddling drugs in the region.

“For a long time, he has not arrested any drug baron. I am here on duty for about four days. We must get a baron within those days, you have no option,” said Koome.