Sh200,000 award for police brutality victim

A victim of police brutality was on Monday awarded Sh200,000 in damages.

Mr Joseph Njuguna Njoroge was beaten and his right lower eyelid torn after he was arrested alongside three friends by the police in Kiambu on March 11.

Mr Njoroge subsequently sued the Attorney General, Inspector General of Police and the Director of Public Prosecutions.

He maintained that his right to dignity, freedom, security and fair administrative action had been violated by the police.
Mr Justice David Majanja agreed with him that the manner in which he and his friends were arrested was not proper.

The judge said police had the responsibility of maintaining law and order, preventing and detecting crime and arresting offenders but that must be done in accordance with the law.

Assaulted by a police

“Arrest of suspects must be in accordance with the Constitution, not arbitrary and without a just cause. I find that Mr Njoroge has established a likelihood that he was assaulted by a police officer while he was in custody,” said Justice Majanja.

Besides the compensation, the judge said Mr Njoroge’s rights were violated and directed that costs for the case be taken care of by the sued parties.

Mr Njoroge told the court how he, together with Mr Joseph Munyui, Mr Cyrus Nene and Mr Joseph Mwirigi met at a hotel in Banana for coffee after work. While walking home at 9pm, they were stopped by four armed officers.

He asked why they were being arrested and one of the officers responded by beating him and told him not to show them how to do their work.

He said the same officer attempted to hit him on the back of his head with his left hand.