Family demands justice for son shot dead by policeman

Danstan Makabwa is still struggling to come to terms with the loss of his son, Brian Chacha, who was shot dead at a pub in Kisumu on May 10, 2018.

The student, witnesses say, was shot by a chief inspector of police who was off duty after they engaged in a brawl over an unknown issue.

For Mr Makabwa, the bad day began at 7:30pm while at home in Isebania where he also works as a sub-county administrator for Kehancha in Migori County.

He received a call from his brother in-law on his son’s death.

AMBITIOUS

“My son had barely settled in Kisumu after the transfer from the KCA University main campus in Ruaraka, Nairobi. The last I talked to him was on Tuesday after he arrived safely in Kisumu,” said Mr Makabwa.

Brian, the first born of Makabwa’s two children, the other who is a girl, was supposed to resume his Bachelor of Commerce classes at the KCA Kisumu campus on Monday.

To the family, Brian was a smart boy, charming, ambitious and with a bright future. But that is no more, his life nipped in the bud, following a minor altercation in a bar.

His father says he wanted his son, a third-year student, to attend school in Kisumu which is closer to their Migori County home.

Police records indicate the officer, identified as Sebastian Ambani, and who is the Chief Inspector of Operations at Kuria West Police Division, used a Ceska pistol F5963 hand gun to fire at the student, hitting him in the head and stomach.

INVESTIGATIONS

Kisumu County Commander John Kamau said Mr Ambani was detained pending investigations into the shooting.

“We have arrested the police officer who is suspected to have killed the student. We are carrying out investigations into the matter and he should be presented in court soon,” said Mr Kamau.

The family is now demanding answers over Brian’s fatal shooting.

“It is painful to lose a son in an unclear circumstances. I called for the transfer to have my son closer. He has never had any criminal record that would warrant him being hunted by the police,” Mr Makabwa said.

He said he was informed that his son had accidentally stepped on a patron, a man who works in a slaughterhouse nearby, and an argument ensued in the bar.

RELUCTANT

“The police officer took my son’s phone after shooting him. We have tried to trace it in vain. The police are reluctant give us any information,” said Mr Makabwa.

Eye witnesses recount that the officer walked out of the bar after snatching the phone from Brian, already badly injured by the first bullet. He returned to fire the final bullet into the student’s head.

“Seeing my son in pain and reaching out for his phone, the officer again shot him in the head,” he claimed.

Family pathologist Isiaba Ndibire, who briefed journalists after the post-mortem at Jaramogi Odinga Oginga Teaching and Referral Hospital Mortuary, said the student died after the bullets raptured his key organs.

AUTOPSY

“The first bullet to the chest caused severe damage to the heart, lungs and liver. The second bullet was to the head and damaged the brain. The shooting was at close range,” he said.

The autopsy was also attended by a government pathologist and a family doctor.

Kenya University Student Organisation chief strategist Alex Ndegwa said such kind of police brutality has no place in Kenya.

“We are calling on the Cabinet Secretary of Interior Security, Independent Police Oversight Authority, the Director of Public Prosecutions and all human rights organisations to intervene  and ensure justice is served for Comrade Brian Chacha,” said Mr Ndegwa yesterday.