DPP Haji on police brutality: We have received 80 cases in the last 9 months

The office of The Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) has received 80 cases of police brutality since October 2019, DPP Noordin Haji has said.

The DPP who was speaking during a webinar on Human Rights and Government Response Measures to COVID-19 Pandemic said his office is currently working with Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) for judicious expedition of the cases.

“Since October 2019, ODPP has received 80 cases against the police & is working closely working with IPOA for judicious expedition. ODPP is seeking funding to support protection of witnesses & victims for cases on human rights violations,” Haji said.

At the same time, the DPP lauded the IPOA but noted that the authority’s work was being impeded by their limited human resource capacity.

“IPOA is doing a great job but are challenged by their human resource capacity. There is need to look at their capacity to enable them to deal with the cases with regard to complaints against the police,” he added.

The latest comes after Kenyans protested the killing of several people by police officers enforcing the daily dusk to dawn curfew.

On Monday night, a homeless man was gunned down at the Mathare slums by police officers manning the area.

The incident saw hundreds of Mathare residents disregarding the social distancing guidelines and taking to the streets in protests.