KDF denies Lodwar assault incident, accuses police of embarassing and humiliating soldiers

In a statement issued on Thursday, KDF dismissed the videos and photos capturing the incident, claiming that they were only meant to “embarrass, humiliate, and create alarm.”

“Our attention has been drawn to videos, photos, and texts circulating on both mainstream and social media on the arrest of KDF soldiers at a Lodwar Police station yesterday, Wednesday 17 April 2024. The orchestration of the detainment is demeaning in context, intended to embarrass, humiliate, and to create alarm,” reads the statement.

“The incident, though localized and occurring at a tactical level, is of great concern to the entire KDF fraternity. It also degrades the complementary spirit in Multi-Agency environments, and operations. 

KDF went further to dismiss a police report which stated that the officers assaulted a police officer at a roadblock and even went further to storm Lodwar Police Station where the soldiers involved in the said incident were detained.

“Notably, it has so far been established that; KDF soldiers neither, "assaulted" police officers nor, "stormed" the station as alleged,” added KDF.

“Joint investigations by the relevant competent authorities to further establish facts on this unfortunate incident are ongoing and the outcome will inform next course of action,” the military added in the statement.

In the widely-circulated video, four KDF officers were captured seated on the ground at Lodwar Police Station as a senior police officer lectured them over their behaviour.

“You are shooting in the air? Is that how you guys are taught, sincerely speaking?” Turkana Central Sub-County Police Commander Samwel Boit is heard questioning the KDF soldiers in the video.

According to a police report issued on Wednesday, the four soldiers had disarmed Police Constable Cleophas Makhapila at a roadblock near Turkana University College, slapped him and ordered him to go down on his knees before one of the soldiers shot several times in the air after the officer refused to kneel before them.

The soldiers, who were at the time riding in a water bowser towards Moi Garden to fetch water, are reported to have ordered the officer to collect his firearm at Loturerei army camp in Kanam Kemer Ward.

The officer then informed Commander Boit of the incident, and an alert was put out to other patrol roadblocks to keep an eye out for the KDF soldiers and the water bowser, eventually tracking them down to Moi Garden.

The development, according to police, led to more soldiers arriving at the station in a bid to compel the police officers to release their mates as other officials of the Sub-County Security Committee, engaged with KDF bosses over the matter.

“Upon arriving at Lodwar Police station, a section of KDF officers arrived on board a land cruiser and cordoned the station while led by Lt. D O Okelo motive was yet to be known,” the report added.

The four KDF soldiers, who refused to identify themselves, were booked and detained and will reportedly be charged with robbery with violence.