Two people have been admitted at Lumakanda Sub County hospital in Lugari Sub County with bullet injuries after being shot by police officers during demonstrations by area residents over what they claimed to be regular harassment from police imposters.
Hundreds of residents defied the government’s directives to observe social distancing as a measure to curb the spread of coronavirus as they came out in large numbers and took to the Lumakanda streets to register their grievances.
The residents complained about the brutality meted on them by a group of youths they alleged were being used by a section of police officers in the area.
Carrying placards and twigs the residents majority of them boda boda operators moved round the street chanting songs castigating police officers before their leaders presented their complaints to the area deputy county commissioner’s office.
The leaders tabled a list of youths who they alleged were being used to move round harassing boda boda operators and residents in the villages.
However as the meeting between the securities team led by Lugari deputy County commissioner William Lenaremo and the leaders was going on, police engaged the demonstrators in a running battle and lobbed teargas canisters to disperse them.
Despite the protestors terming their demonstrations peaceful police decided to use bullets against them injuring two boda boda operators as they also shot into residential houses along Lumakanda–Bishop Sulumeti road.
The injured were rushed to Lumakanda County hospital where they are admitted. One of them sustained injuries after a bullet tore through his cheek with the second sustaining an injury on the forehead.
Addressing the demonstrators Lugari DCC William Lenaremo appealed for calmness as he promised investigations into the incident and to ensure appropriate action is taken according to the law.
“I want to tell you we are not going to leave any stone unturned, I have handed the list to the DCI to commence investigation and I assure you that the law will take its course,” said Lenaremo.
