A court in Garissa has sentenced a police officer, Adan Boru Golicha, to 5 years in prison for murder in a case where the law enforcement officer had been accused of shooting a civilian 6 times.
While delivering its ruling, the court observed that the accused, despite being a police officer who is expected to maintain law and order, disregarded the law and fired gunshots regardless and has not demonstrated remorse for his actions ever since.
“His unlawful conduct has now incapacitated the victim and subsequently leading to the suffering by the victim’s family that was occasioned by the injury suffered, ” the Independent Policing Oversight Authority quoted the court ruling in a statement.
The court, while delivering its ruling, had also considered that the police officer was a first time offender.
A photo of a person resting his hands on jail bars at a police station.
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Kenya Prisons
It also considered the officer’s submission that he was experiencing financial challenges and was therefore, unable to compensate the victim and his family since the amount was ‘too high’.
The court on September 12, had found him guilty of the shooting incident.
The incident in question occurred on October 15, 2017 along the Metameta Central Road in Mandera County, during which the police officer was driving and the civilian, who was driving another vehicle, rammed into his rear.
According to IPOA’s account, both drivers stopped their cars, stepped out of their vehicles and a verbal exchange ensued in the full glare of curious onlookers.
“The court heard that the officer who was at the time in civilian clothes, whipped out a pistol and fired six shots,” IPOA stated in its bulletin.
Naturally, the incident drew the attention of IPOA which commenced an investigation.
The investigation found the police officer culpable and recommended he be charged with the murder of the civilian and causing grievous harm to another Kenyan.
A photo of the Court Bench
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The Judiciary of Kenya
