Lawyer Danstan Omari expressed his professional opinion that the situation that unfolded over the weekend, where a teen was captured on camera battering a police officer, has the potential to taint the National Police Service's image on the global stage.
Omari, representing the complainant, explained that the world had placed the country on a higher pedestal because they believed that the officers were well trained and, therefore, that the incident by Ian Njoroge had painted the Kenya police in a bad light.
"What is the net effect of this attack? The American Police Service failed in Haiti. The world picked Kenya to provide police for the Haiti mission a confirmation that the Kenya Police is the best trained. This image globally is a serious dent in our reputation. It has a bearing on our pride as a nation," the outspoken lawyer stated.
He claimed that the police could have taken to the streets to protest the assault on one of their own by a civilian but have been limited by Article 37 of the Constitution of Kenya.
The lawyer explained that their only refuge was the courts where they had presented their case and expected to be heard.
"So, the victims who are the police and all the other disciplined officers In this country, if they were not excluded from Article 37 of the Constitution to go picketing and demonstrating by now, all police officers could be on strike but we stopped and told them article 37 is not theirs."
"They are coming to you because that is the only avenue available asking that you do not release the accused person," Omari argued.
Omari stated that it would be practically incorrect to release the suspect and expect police officers to continue guarding him against public anger.
Njoroge shot into the limelight when he was filmed assaulting a police officer on Kamiti Road in Mirema, Roysambu constituency over the weekend.
The clip, which went viral on social media on Sunday, showed the driver, a 19-year-old, beating up the officer who later landed in a ditch.
Reports indicated that the authorities tracked the motorist down on Sunday evening and grilled him overnight.
A clip that showed the driver undergoing grilling from the police officers hinted that he underwent torture and was subjected to insults.
In the footage, the teenager revealed that he had never attacked a police officer before and that the latest incident was his first encounter. He claimed that the officer was requesting excessive money.
Another video snippet indicated that the suspect was arrested while in a white car. Police officers believed that the teenager was in Mirema as a reveller.
