Family distraught after teenager allegedly shot by police dies

Yasin Moyo's family members at the Kariokor Muslim Cemetery in Nairobi where the teenager was laid to rest on March 31, 2020. PHOTO | MARY WAMBUI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Until his death, Yassin was a Standard Eight candidate at Ndururuno Primary School and, like other pupils, he was home after learning was stopped by the Covid-19 pandemic.

  • His father Hussein Moyo said his son was whiling his time at the balcony alongside his siblings when an officer fired a bullet that entered his body through the stomach.

Kenya Police are, once again, on the spot over brutality meted on defenceless citizens as they enforce dusk-to-dawn curfew.

This time, the service headed by Inspector-General Hillary Mutyambai stands accused of shooting and fatally injuring a 13-year-old boy at Kiamaiko area in Huruma, Nairobi, on Monday evening.

Witnesses on Tuesday told the Nation that Yassin Hussein Moyo was on the balcony of their house when a police bullet hit him in the stomach at 7.20pm.

The boy was rushed to Mama Lucy Hospital where he succumbed to the single gunshot in the wee hours of Tuesday.

Until his death, Yassin was a Standard Eight candidate at Ndururuno Primary School and, like other pupils, he was home after learning was stopped by the Covid-19 pandemic.

His father Hussein Moyo said his son was whiling his time at the balcony alongside his siblings when an officer fired a bullet that entered his body through the stomach.

"I was at a neighbour's house when my daughter called me to inform me of the incident. My daughter confirmed that he was shot at the balcony," he told the Nation.

The family has called on Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i to ensure that the perpetrator of the heinous act is brought to book.

On Tuesday, Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji directed Mr Mutyambai to “thoroughly but urgently” investigate the shooting.

He asked the police boss to forward the file to his office once the investigators complete their work.

On receiving Mr Haji’s directive, Mr Mutyambai on Tuesday directed the Directorate of Criminal Investigations to start investigations into the incident that comes days after police assaulted a journalist and other civilians in Mombasa.

The National Police Service said on Twitter that Yassin was hit by “a stray bullet”.

“(The IG) has further directed the DCI to undertake forensic analysis of all firearms held by officers who were on duty last night within Huruma area,” NPS police tweeted.

Yassin was laid to rest at the Kariokor Muslim Cemetery in Nairobi on Tuesday.