The Kenya Counselling and Psychological Association (KCPA) has blamed the killing of two brothers under police custody in Embu on drug abuse.
Speaking during a visit to the family of the late Benson and Emmanuel Ndwiga, members of KCPA stated that drug abuse among police officers is responsible for their abnormal behaviour while at work.
They also stated that police under the influence of drugs are triggered to use excessive force while carrying out their duties.
“The police officers take bhang, chew miraa, and this makes them not to judge critically, creatively and come up with a solution, and there is need to fight the use of stimulants by police,” Dr Jane Wanjiru Muigai stated.
Muigai called for the fight against drug abuse among police officers, stating that many police officers take drugs to avert stress.
She recommended substance abuse assessments to be carried out on officers affected by drug abuse to determine the damage extent.
In addition, she noted that other problems within the police service were emotionally instigated while others are behavioural. Muigai urged the government to train more counsellors to ensure that officers’ mental state is addressed.
KCPA National Secretary James Mutitu revealed that the association already initiated counselling of police officers to address mental health concerns.
Mutitu reiterated the need for the implementation of those policies so that police officers can be assisted to fight the challenges they have. He also condemned the use of live bullets by the police when dealing with protesters.
The bodies of Benson Njiru Ndwiga and his brother Emanuel Ndwiga were found at the Embu General Mortuary on Tuesday, August 3.
The two brothers died under mysterious circumstances while in police custody after being arrested on Sunday, August 1 on allegations of flouting curfew hours.
According to the results of an autopsy performed on the bodies of the deceased, the two died from multiple injuries arising from blunt force trauma.
The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) deployed investigators from its Nairobi headquarters to beef up their Meru Rapid Investigations counterparts who launched their investigations.
The Deputy Inspector General of Police Edward Mbugua ordered the transfer of Kithangari OCS Abdullahi Yaya and Embu North OCPD Emily Ngaruiya.
In May 2021, a police officer was caught on camera smoking what was alleged to be marijuana.
