A mother in Meru County is calling for justice, claiming her 12-year-old daughter was shot during the Saba Saba protests that happened in Meru town a fortnight ago.
Josephine Karegi, the mother of Joy Makena, says her daughter was injured as police officers dispersed demonstrators near Meru Doctors Plaza on July 7.
The girl was taken to Meru Level Five Hospital, where she underwent surgery to remove what doctors described as multiple foreign bodies lodged in the left detroid muscle and inferior subscapularis muscle.
Addressing journalists, Josephine said she was at work when she received a call at around 4pm informing her that her daughter had been rushed to a private facility after being injured during the chaos.
“I was at work on the Saba Saba day, and around 4pm, I was called and told to go to Meru Doctors Plaza. That’s where the doctor told me that my child had been shot,” said Josephine.
She explained that her daughter had left home earlier in the day in the company of another child from the neighbourhood, Mitchell Mukami, who was going to meet her mother in town before travelling to Nairobi.
The girls were on their way back when they encountered a confrontation between the police and protestors near Doctors Plaza, which Josephine says is where her daughter was struck.
Medical staff at the private hospital allegedly told her they could not proceed with treatment until an Occurrence Book (OB) number was obtained from the police.
However, the person sent to the police station reportedly returned saying officers had declined to issue one.
Joy was then referred to Meru Level Five Hospital, where doctors conducted a CT scan.
The results, according to Josephine, showed foreign bodies inside the child’s body.
She was taken to the theatre on Saturday and was discharged the following day.
Following the incident, her family started an online fundraising campaign, which caught the attention of Ripples International Director Ms Mercy Chidi, who immediately began following up on the matter.
READ ALSO:
8.4 percent of children in rural areas join Grade 1 without ECDE experience, report reveals
Ms Chidi says she contacted the person who had posted the issue, whom she questioned to ascertain the truth of the matter.
“When I saw the post online, I called the person who had shared it and asked why they were raising funds for a child who was shot by police. I was told they were doing that because they were even denied an OB to make an official report,” said Chidi.
Police at Meru Police Station have denied claims that they did not issue the OB, saying they only learned about the incident recently.
Imenti North Sub-county Police Commander Ambrose Kyalo stated that the child’s mother initially visited the station but was asked to return with supporting documents. Afterwards, she left and did not return.
He confirmed that the matter was formally reported this evening when she returned with her lawyer.
Kyalo added that the doctor’s report indicated a live bullet did not cause the injuries, but was likely caused by a rubber bullet or a teargas fragment.
“This morning, we received the doctor’s report, which stated fragments and foreign bodies were found in the child. Based on our assessment, this was not a live bullet, but likely a rubber bullet or teargas fragment,” said Kyalo
He said police are now working to verify the child’s condition and have dispatched the OCS to follow up, noting that the girl was reportedly discharged from the hospital on Wednesday.
By John Majau
You can also follow our social media pages on Twitter: Education News KE and Facebook: Education News Newspaper for timely updates.
>>> Click here to stay up-to-date with trending regional stories
>>> Click here to read more informed opinions on the country’s education landscape
>>> Click here to stay ahead with the latest national news.
