Inquest into 2017 killing of nine-year-old Stephanie Moraa indicts police

It is still a long road to justice for the family of Stephanie Moraa, a 9-year-old girl who was shot and killed by a police officer while at the balcony of her home in Mathare North way back in August 2017.

According to an inquest into her death, the court ruled that the death of the deceased was by deliberate shooting by a police officer, whose identity has been frustrated by police officers covering for one another under the blue code of silence.

The ruling further cites that based on the independent policing oversight authority officer investigating the incident, the lack of cooperation from the police in making available the requested police documents that could help ascertain the formations of the officers deployed in the area, the stations they were drawn from and the specific officer responsible for the shooting.

Eleven witnesses testified in the inquest. Based on their accounts, the ruling stated that the police officer who was in the company of another and clearly visible to the witnesses took aim of the point where the witnesses were pointing his gun at them.

In the first instance, the officer crouched down took aim and pointed but dropped the gun. He did so a second time and fired. He was identifiable from his appearance of being of light complexion. The two police officers were in jungle green uniform.

Despite that however, the court cites that the spent cartridge which was issued for ballistic examination two months after the incident, was in fact not the one used to shoot the deceased.

Unfortunately, Moraa’s incident is not isolated, during the General Election period; Samantha Pendo, a 6-month-old baby died after sustaining injuries on her head caused by police officers dressed in jungle green uniform in Kisumu.

Preval Ochieng a 17-year-old boy and Raphael Ayieko Ochieng a 16-year-old boy who were both shot at close range by police officers in jungle green uniform and antiriot gear with their hands raised up in Baba Dogo.