Man who assaulted a police officer handed 7-year jail term

A 24-year old man was on Tuesday handed a seven-year prison sentence for physically assaulting a police officer in Kakamega.

Tyson Kasesi reportedly committed the offence, which contravenes section 103(a) of the National Police Act, in May.

"The accused person, Tyson Kayesi, is reported to have assaulted a police officer in the month of May 2024 while on official duty causing him harm as per the P3 form produced in court," the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) said in a statement.

Kasese had initially declined take plea on two different occasions before eventually pleading guilty, to all four charges leveled against him, before Kakamega Principal Magistrate J. J. Masiga.

The prosecution team led by Moraa Atandi subsequently requested the court to uphold the minimum sentence as prescribed by the law.

"In delivering the judgement, the Magistrate noted that the offence of assaulting police officers is becoming rampant nationwide and therefore a custodial sentence is the most suitable for purposes of deterrence to the community and for any person intending to commit that offence," said the ODPP.

The conviction comes two days after a 19-year-old man was arrested for assaulting and injuring a traffic police officer during a traffic stop in Mirema.

The suspect, Ian Njoroge, was apprehended at his home in the Jacaranda area of Kayole, Nairobi, on Sunday evening as part of an operation led by the DCI in Nairobi.

He was subsequently charged with robbery with violence, assault causing grievous bodily harm and resisting arrest on Tuesday.

The defence team representing Njoroge told the court that officers who arrested the suspect handled him in an inhumane manner.

Appearing before Magistrate BenMark at the Milimani law courts, Duncan Okatch and Vincent Lempaa told the court that Njoroge, was molested in his house at the time of the arrest.

A short video showing Njoroge being interrogated was also played in court which the prosecution argued is clear proof of mistreatment since the officers hurled insults at him.

Njoroge pleaded not guilty to all the charges. The Court subsequently granted the prosecution one day to detain Njoroge at Industrial Area prison.