Police Inspector General Japhet Koome has been sued over the police killings during the 2017 General Elections when he was serving as the Nairobi Police Commander.
Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC), Muslims for Human Rights (MUHURI), and Khelef Khalifa want Koome to be probed as police officers employed brutal and deadly force to suppress dissent which resulted in 33 deaths in Nairobi.
The chaos erupted after President Uhuru Kenyatta’s victory was contested by the opposition.
“As stated in the petition, government pathologists confirmed the deceased succumbed to gunshot wounds. However, the suit affirms that not all the dead were present on the streets; some were sadly killed in their homes and businesses,” reads part of the petition.
The petitioners say that requests to obtain the investigation records on the killings were ignored, prompting them to seek more reports through a court battle.
They say that on January 24, 2023, they sent a letter to the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) requesting information on their action in regard to the killings but they delayed their response
“IPOA delayed its response until April 12, when they replied that they were investigating only 15 cases, not all 33,” they said.
IPOA and the Attorney-General (AG) have been sued alongside Koome.
Khalifa says he also wrote to Koome on July 26, 2023, inquiring about the progress of the investigation on the remaining 18 people but his response was delayed up to August 15.
“Koome declined to furnish details of the investigation and redirected Khalifa to seek answers from IPOA,” he said.
They now want the court process to aid them in obtaining the investigation report to hold those guilty accountable.
