Business came to a standstill in the border town of Malaba in Busia County on Saturday morning after residents held a demonstration to protest the killing of one person by the police. It’s alleged police officers from Malaba police station shot Ezekiel Odera, 27 years old, as he was trying to run away from them because he was not putting on a mask.
He was injured on the right hand and rushed to Kocholia sub county hospital where he succumbed to the injuries. The locals led by Malaba Central Member of County Assembly Benard Papa demonstrated up to the police station demanding for justice, “It’s very sad that we have lost a person just because of a mask. We condemn the incident in the strongest terms possible and demand that the officer who did that and who is well known be arrested and charged for murder.”
They also demanded for the immediate transfer of all police officers at the station led by Officer Commanding Station (OCS) Cecilia Muthoni, “There are many police officers who have overstayed here, some for as many as twenty years. For the OCS, although she hasn’t been here for long, has created bad blood between the police officers and the locals. We want them to be transferred and new officers brought here.”
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has also been challenged to launch investigations into the massive corruption at the station, “The police officers have developed a habit of arresting people without reason especially on Fridays, and put them in cells then demand for bribes before they are released. They usually arrest like one hundred people but only a few are taken to Court as the rest are released after paying the officers some money. They use the fight against the Coronavirus as an excuse to advance their corrupt activities, milking money from innocent people.”
Teso North MP Hon. Oku Kaunya through a press release to media houses also condemned the killing and called for immediate arrest and prosecution of the police officer involved in the shooting, “I wish to condemn in the strongest terms the brutal action of police who shot and killed an innocent young man reportedly for failure to wear a mask. I demand immediate arrest and prosecution of the police officer concerned. This is a clear case of use of excessive force on an innocent young man. I also call on IPOA to dig out the truth to ensure justice is done. We demand that CS interior takes appropriate action against officers that have failed to manage security and instead preside over killing of innocent wananchi,” read part of the release.
Police officers from Malaba had to call for reinforcement from Busia town and Bungoma to contain the irate demonstrators some who pelted stones at the officers and lit tyres on the road paralyzing normal business for several hours.