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Police termed Kisumu shooting
regrettable
Published on January 19, 2008, 12:00 am
EA STANDARD
By Cyrus Ombati
Police headquarters has termed as ‘unfortunate’ an incident in
which a police officer was shown shooting two unarmed protestors
in Kisumu, killing one.
The officer has reportedly been "temporarily interdicted" pending
investigation into the shooting.
The force has also regretted the supply of live ammunitions to
anti-riot officers, saying they will now use rubber bullets.
So far, 510 people have died in the post-election violence across
the country, and 82 deaths have been as a result of police
shooting.
Consequently, an inquiry into the Kisumu incident has been
launched to establish the circumstances of the shooting.
But police spokesman, Mr Eric Kiraithe, said the accused officer
remains innocent until proved guilty.
"The officer seen on the TV clip is under investigation and I do
not want to give more on this," he said.
He did not say whether the officer has been arrested or
interdicted.
Kiraithe noted that it is not yet confirmed if the officer was
involved in the shooting, arguing the clip may have been
manipulated.
He added police are yet to establish if either of the two men in
the clip died out of the shooting and if the officer’s gun was
indeed used.
The officer spoke to journalists at the police headquarters,
Vigilance House.
Said he: "The officers will now start getting rubber bullets as a
way of containing the situation."
He added that some of those killed by police were criminals who
attacked people and robbed property.
Kiraithe said the force is also distressed by the current
situation even as he read a statement on behalf of the
Commissioner of police, Maj-Gen Hussein Ali, congratulating the
officers involved in the exercise, for doing a good job.
He said of the 510 people who have died since the skirmishes broke
out, 82 were killed in police operations.
He said police would remain focused on their mandate of keeping
law and order.
His remarks came in the wake of complaints from ODM leaders that
police had been given the "shoot to kill" order. ODM leaders have
protested the use of live ammunitions.
Maj-Gen Ali was scheduled to address the briefing, but did not
turn up.
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