IPOA launches probe into incident of police assaulting motorist, journalist

The Independent Police Oversight Authority (IPOA) has launched a probe into an incident where three police officers were captured on video assaulting a motorist and a journalist who recorded the incident in Nakuru County.

From footage recorded on the scene, a police officer is seen exchanging words with a motorist identified as Frank Koigos, and soon thereafter a number of police officers joined in support of their colleague — descending on the motorist in a classic case of police brutality.

The police also set upon the journalist who recorded the incident when they realised that he had captured it. The journalist lost his phones with the police returning one of the phones after intervention from the Nakuru County Police Commander, Tito Kilonzi.

POLICE BRUTALITY

Two people injured as traffic police attack them in Nakuru town
Officers attack Frank Koigos after he questioned one of them for allegedly hitting his car
Officers also attack Simon Ben who was recording the drama on Dec 24#CitizenWeekend w/ @BernardNdong pic.twitter.com/Ar1n6J8C7v

— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) December 26, 2020

The traffic officer who was controlling vehicles in the area allegedly rammed the motorist from behind causing the quarrel between him and the motorist.

“IPOA this morning learnt of an incident in which members of the National Police Service were captured in a video assaulting a motorist and a journalist who recorded the incident in Nakuru County. Consequently, IPOA on its own motion has this afternoon launched investigations into the assault and injury of the two people,” said IPOA chairperson Anne Makori.

“In the course of investigations, if culpability is found or further misconduct established, the Authority will make appropriate recommendations against the police officers to the Director of Public Prosecutions, the National Police Service, the National Police Service Commission or any other State Agency.”