Masinde Baraza and Duncan Kiprono are the two police officers accused of harassing and shooting a Nairobi hawker during protests on Tuesday afternoon.
The officers are based at Nairobi's Kileleshwa Police Station, where they were deployed from during the ugly scenes witnessed yesterday. The two were caught on camera in a confrontation with a hawker identified as Boniface Mwangi Kariuki, which resulted in one of the officers shooting the hawker.
The officers are currently being held at the Capitol Hill Police Station in Nairobi while awaiting arraignment in court. Their current ranks are yet to be released.
Their lawyers, led by Felix Kiton, have since arrived at the Capitol Hill Police Station, where they have raised concerns that they have yet to speak to their clients as well as know the next course of action following their apprehension on Tuesday night.
The shot victim is currently recuperating at the Kenyatta National Hospital following a surgical procedure that he was supposed to undergo.
Preliminary reports indicate that the victim was shot using a rubber bullet, causing damage to the upper part of his body, in particular the head.
Police IG Douglas Kanja on Tuesday confirmed the arrest of the officers after issuing similar directives. This was in a statement issued by the NPS through its spokesperson, Muchiri Nyaga.
“Following this incident, the Inspector-General of the National Police Service ordered the immediate arrest and arraignment in court of the involved officer. The said police officer has since been arrested,” Nyaga said.
While confirming the incident that has shocked the country, police said they noted an anti-riot officer had shot an “unarmed civilian using an anti-riot shotgun.”
During the incident, footage analysed by Kenyans.co.ke showed a police officer initially firing a shot near protesters along Mondlane Street while still positioned on Moi Avenue, away from the crowd.
After briefly retreating towards fellow officers near Cabral Street, the officer suddenly ran back toward the protesters. He and a colleague then accosted a hawker, Mwangi, who stood apart from the main protest, holding a bunch of face masks.
The officers began assaulting Mwangi, with one hitting him using the butt of his gun after he fell to the ground. Moments later, the first officer aimed his weapon and shot Mwangi in the head at close range.
The injured hawker was left bleeding on the street until protesters rushed him to Bliss Medical Center, where he received emergency care while awaiting ambulance transfer.
