The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) on Monday, August 24, disclosed that it had launched investigations into a shoot out that resulted in eight people being killed in Nairobi's Industrial Area.
In a statement, the Authority's chairperson Anne Makori stated that the incident merited investigations to establish what occurred when police responded to a robbery in progress.
"The investigation team is cognisant that use of lethal force by police officers shall be the last resort and when applicable, the determination is made in accordance with the laid down procedures," she stated.
The incident occurred in a godown along Lunga Lunga Road at Industrial Area on Sunday, August 23, when twelve suspected criminals broke into the premises and commenced looting.
A police report indicated that an alarm was raised and officers who responded found that the goons had already loaded goods into a lorry.
The police stated that the gang were armed with pistols and pangas and ignored a request by police to lay down their weapons, resulting in a fatal shoot out.
“They were challenged by officers to surrender but opened fire. The officers returned fire fatally injuring eight of them,” the report read in part.
Four armed suspects managed to escape with bullet injuries as officers recovered two homemade pistols, a revolver and five pangas.
The incident was the most fatal shooting in the recent past with eight fatalities. The other such incident occurred in 2016, when police shot dead eight suspected robbers and recovered five homemade guns and eight rounds of ammunition in Industrial Area.
On that end, IPOA noted that police are obliged to notify in writing, upon such deaths or serious injuries and supply the oversight body with evidence.
"It shall be a disciplinary offence for a police officer to fail to report in accordance with the service regulations," the Authority stated.
The NPS Act and service standing orders declare that when the use of force results in injuries, the police officers present shall provide medical assistance and unless there are good reasons, failing to do so shall be a criminal offence.
According to a 2018 report by the Crime Research Centre, the most reported types of crime in Nairobi were Mugging, Stealing, burglary and breakings, robbery with violence, possession of narcotic drugs and murder.
