This archive report was first published on 12 November 2019.
Published on November 12, 2019, the swift action by Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i and Inspector-General of Police Hillary Mutyambai to bring to book the four heavily armed police officers who brutally assaulted a student at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology is commendable.
The incident, which was captured on an amateur video, has sparked widespread outrage and raised questions about the impact of police reforms on the service.
Students have been mugged and robbed near their campuses, and despite reporting the incidents to university authorities and nearby police stations, the crimes continue.
The law allows police to use reasonable force to subdue a suspect who resists arrest or poses a threat to their own lives. However, in this case, there was no such threat, and the footage shows criminal impunity and callousness.
The student lay helpless on the ground, and the well-trained police officers were happy to kick him around, sparking widespread condemnation and calls for civilized policing.
