This archive report was first published on 11 June 2020.
On June 10, 2020, a harrowing incident in Kuresoi South, Nakuru county, left a 21-year-old woman, Mercy Cherono, nursing her injuries at the Olenguruone Hospital. The incident, which was captured on video, showed Cherono being dragged behind a moving motorbike by three police officers.
According to eyewitnesses, the officers, including the Deputy Officer Commanding Olenguruone Police Station, tied Cherono to the motorbike and dragged her on a dirt road. The video, which went viral on social media, showed Cherono pleading for her life as she was being dragged.
Speaking to local media, Rift Valley Regional Police Commander Marcus Ochola condemned the incident and ordered a probe into the conduct of the officers. The Independent Police Oversight Authority (IPOA) also launched investigations into the incident, with IPOA chairperson Ann Makori stating that the agency had opened investigations to establish allegations of assault, injury, and any other misconduct by the police officers.
The three officers were arrested on June 11, 2020, a day after the incident, and are currently facing allegations of assault and misconduct. The motive behind the brutal assault is still unclear, with Cherono alleging that the officers accused her of stealing a gas cylinder, a TV set, and clothes.
