Police Shot Me After Taking My Bribe - Lawyer

Lawyer David Makara who survived Police brutality
Lawyer David Makara who survived Police brutality.
Twitter

A Nairobi-based lawyer has opened up about a life-changing incident when police shot and injured him after they had taken a bribe from him.

Speaking to The Guardian on Tuesday, October 5, the lawyer, David Makara, noted that he had been arrested alongside three other people.

It all started in December 2002 after he had gone to pick videos for his job when he was arrested by officers who ambushed them from a nearby bar.

They arrested Makara and his colleagues at Nyahururu Town and were set to take them to the Police Station. He offered one of them a bribe and when he turned to leave, they started shooting at him.

DPP Noordin Haji (left) and Lawyer David Makara
DPP Noordin Haji (left) and Lawyer David Makara.
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He started running but collapsed shortly after sustaining gunshots in his arm and his hip.

He lost consciousness and the police officers thought he was dead and left him. When he woke up, he was taken to the hospital where his arm was amputated.

The advocate further told the publication that the officers, upon realising he was alive and in hospital, handcuffed him to the bed and charged him with a violent crime.

He was assigned a visually impaired lawyer at a time he had lost all hope for life.

“I woke up the following morning to a bitter realisation that I was now a person with a disability. My right hand had gone.

"When I was there on that hospital bed I could not see any light in my life. I did not believe I would come out of jail," stated Makara.

The blind lawyer identified as Victor Kamau worked hard for Makara and had his charges were dropped.

After he was freed, Makara was inspired by the experience and enrolled to study law and now represents marginalised individuals.

"I’m happy this event dropped into my life and not that of anyone else. The police wanted to kill me, but through the support of other people, my life was saved. Today I am assisting others, just like I was assisted," he added.

Makara is now an advocate of the High Court of Kenya and has shared his own story worldwide to raise awareness and demand justice.

The activist is also a founding member of the Kenya Champions of Justice, a chapter of the Global Survivor Network based in Nairobi.

Lawyer David Makara who survived Police brutality.
Lawyer David Makara who survived Police brutality.
Twitter
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