Crime Si Poa Sounds Alarm on "Trigger Happy" Officers During Protests

Civil society organization Crime Si Poa has issued a powerful condemnation of recent police actions, warning that a culture of impunity and the presence of "trigger-happy, rogue officers" within the Kenya Police Service are dangerously eroding public trust. The statement comes in the wake of the shocking point-blank shooting of a young, unarmed man in Nairobi.

The press release, authored by Executive Director Pete Ouko, centers on the shooting of Boniface Kariuki, a vendor who was selling masks to demonstrators. The incident, captured in viral videos, has ignited public outrage and intensified scrutiny of law enforcement conduct.

"The reckless and blatant shooting yesterday, at point blank range of Boniface Kariuki, an unarmed young Kenyan going about his business... is a troubling sign of the lurking danger of a clique of trigger happy, rogue officers within the ranks of the Kenya Police Service," the statement declared.

Crime Si Poa highlighted the critical role of social media in ensuring accountability, noting that the graphic footage left the perpetrator with "little chance of escape from an offence captured real time." The organization commended the Inspector General of Police for the subsequent swift arrest of the officer involved, urging that such urgency "should be the norm in identifying, isolating and prosecuting such crimes if the confidence of the public is to be restored."

A Pattern of Violence and Collusion

The organization framed the shooting not as an isolated event, but as part of a disturbing pattern. It occurred during demonstrations protesting the recent death of teacher and blogger Albert Ojwang while in police custody.

Crime Si Poa expressed grave concern that these protests were reportedly hijacked by organized criminal elements. The statement cited a video posted by Senate Majority Whip Dr. Boni Khalwale, who lamented the sight of police allegedly protecting armed youths.

"How low we have sunk! The Kenyan Police escorting goons armed with crude weapons," Dr. Khalwale was quoted as saying.

This alleged collusion points to a deeper, more systemic issue that Crime Si Poa has consistently warned about: the political mobilization of youth gangs. The organization referenced past statements by Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, who has previously alluded to politicians bankrolling these criminal groups. "Despite such loud pronouncements, no action has been taken to address the situation. It is time to walk the talk and arrest all the godfathers of these gangs," the statement urged.

A Call to Uphold Constitutional Values

At the heart of Crime Si Poa's message is a call for a return to the constitutional principles that define the police as a "service," not a "force," accountable to the citizens it serves.

"We seem to be fast degressing from those standards. Our law enforcement agencies risk losing the trust of the people they serve," the release warned.

The organization pointed to constitutional safeguards under Articles 25, 29, and 49, which protect citizens from torture and guarantee the rights of arrested persons. Yet, it noted, "many Kenyans have complained of being subjected to violence, torture, inhumane degrading treatment" and have had their rights "routinely abrogated at the report desks of police stations."

In its powerful conclusion, Crime Si Poa issued a direct appeal to the leadership of the National Police Service.

"The IGP and the National Police Service Commission must crack the whip and bring their team to order. Corruption and impunity within the rank and file must be brought to heel and all culpable and rotten eggs in the system weeded out as a matter of course."

The organization also called on the Witness Protection Agency to step up and ensure the safety of those willing to come forward. It closed with a plea for national unity under the rule of law, quoting the national anthem: "Let justice be our shield and defender."