Ipoa, ICJ probe case of man shot by AP over football game
The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (Ipoa) and the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) are investigating the death of a man said to have been shot three times by a police officer.
Martin Waweru, who hailed from Muruka village in Kandara Constituency was allegedly shot by an Administration Police (AP) officer based at the Muruka AP camp.
He had been on his way home from a local bar, where he went to watch football, when he was killed by the policeman said to have been angered by Chelsea's 2-0 loss to Arsenal last Saturday.
Mr Waweru died from his injuries at Murang'a Level Five Hospital on Thursday morning.
An officer from Ipoa, who did not want to be named as he was not allowed to address the media, told the Nation that they had been in the area for three days.
ICJ Communication officer Moses Okinyi said the victim's family asked them to intervene and that they will ask the Independent Medico-Legal Unit to help ensure justice.
VICTIM'S STORY
Last Friday, Mr Waweru narrated events before the shooting, saying a scuffle ensued between the officer and other villagers after his favourite team lost.
Mr Waweru said that as headed home, the officer walked by him, went to the camp and returned with a gun.
"Upon reaching where I was, he ordered me to lie down and I obeyed. He then shot me three times - in the back next to my waist, above the back and in my hand and dragged me to the police camp, which is 750 meters away. He forced me to drink water while I was bleeding profusely,” he said at the hospital.
His father, Joseph Karanja, said the Ipoa officers visited them after the story was published and launched a probe. They took statements and will conduct a postmortem on Monday, he said.
“We feel our son will get justice even if he is dead. So far we are content with the investigations,” he said.
The father also said that several organisations called him and promised support.
“Through Mr Okinyi, the ICJ said they will follow up the matter and that they will approach the IMPLU for an independent pathologist to conduct the autopsy," he said.
