By Peter Otuoro
Business came to a standstill along Nyayo Garden and County Commissioner’s offices when residents of Bondeni Estate protested the killing of a school girl by the police yesterday.
Whitney Atieno, a student at Central Secondary School, is alleged to have been killed during a confrontation between the youths and police in Bondeni.
Hundreds of residents carried placards expressing their ire as they matched to Nakuru County Commissioners’ offices and demand to be addressed on their runaway security.
Nakuru County Commissioner Elistus Mbui, who was accompanied by Nakuru County Police Commander Beatrice Kiranguri, regretted the incident, promising that investigations will be conducted and that any police officer found culpable will have to face the law.
“I am a parent and I know how it hurt to lose a child because of such incidents. We want to inform you that IPOA and DCI have started investigations and any officer who will be found guilty will be taken to court by relevant state agencies to ensure that justice is done to all residents of Bondeni and to parents whose child has been killed,” said Mbui.
He used the opportunity to tell security officers to conduct their duties in accordance with the law to avoid altercations with residents whose lives and property they should secure.
Mbui also urge residents of Nakuru County to always obey the law and not to defend and protect criminals.
“We know Bondeni very well. There are criminal gangs like ‘Confirm’ who have endangered the lives of many innocent residents and we have adequate information about them. We would like you to cooperate with our officers to end criminal activities in your area of residence,” the County Commissioner said.
He told residents to allow police to perform their duties of arresting criminal suspects without hindrance, at the same time urging security officers to be careful not to endanger the lives of innocent Kenyans.
According an eye witness Patrick Saoko, the police approached a group of youths and attempted to arrest them. When they resisted, the OCS drew his pistol and shot directly at them, killing the school girl and injuring several others.
Kenya Police Service has been accused in recent times of killing innocent Kenyans, with IPOA promising to take action but no reports of arrests and prosecution have been seen.
