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Citizen Weekly

Sunday 19 October 2014

LOOK FOR OTHERS TO SCARE, KISUMU SCRIBES TELL FLYING SQUAD CROOKS

Kisumu journalists have told police officers in the town to stop wasting time trying to intimidate them and instead direct their energies on fighting crime which is what Kenyans pay them for. One of the journalists has lodged a complaint with the police in the lakeside town over an alleged threat to his life following a robbery story published recently.
Justus Ochieng’ alleged that three Flying Squad police officers confronted him in Kisumu town over a story he has been doing on a CID officer who is claimed to have robbed a fellow officer.
Ochieng who made the report via OB No 53/8/10/2014 at Kisumu Central Police Station claimed the officers have been trailing him.
He claimed the officers accosted him two weeks ago while he was from one of the hotels near Kamas area. He was in the company of two friends, one of whom is a nominated MCA.
Ochieng alleged the officers asked him whether he knew them but he told them that he was not aware who they were.
“How come you don’t know me despite having worked in Kisumu for two years,” one of the officers reportedly asked him. He claimed the officer went on to say: “You have been hitting us with stories but just go if you don’t know us,” said another.
Last week, Ochieng did a story where it was alleged the mentioned officer allegedly mysteriously refunded substantive amount of money to the robbery victim.
However, the lawyer representing the robbery victim dismissed the claim insisting that no such thing happened, adding that he has been pushing for the arrest of the accused and has even written to the Inspector General David Kimaiyo over the same matter.
The AP chief inspector identified as Paul Nyando was robbed Sh250,000 three weeks ago by armed men and later identified a man who later turned out to be a CID officer stationed at Central Police Station in Kisumu.
During the robbery, the armed thugs also forced the AP officer to reveal his ATM card pin number which they used to withdraw Sh80,000 at Luanda town, about 15 kilometres from Kisumu.
A retired teacher was alleged to have also been robbed Sh400,000 after he had withdrawn the cash in one of the banks in Kisumu and he also mentioned the name of the same officer.
It is also not clear whether the suspected CID officer has been arraigned in court after the robbery with violence allegations.
Nyanza regional police boss Charles Narangwi also denied knowledge of the refund agreement.
Some of the officers in Kisumu have been accused of being part of criminals stealing from members of the public.
Kisumu City Residents Association chairman Audi Ogada condemned the incident terming it uncouth and criminal. He described it as an act of impunity saying police will be held responsible should anything happen to the reporter.
Ogada urged county police chief to ensure Ochieng is safe saying attacks on journalist have increased in the lakeside town.
Kisumu Journalists Network chairman Dickson Odhiambo and secretary general Allan Obiero demanded thorough investigation over the matter. County CID boss Moses Dindi said they have launched investigations.
Other journalists across the country have taken issue with the threats by the sickminded officers and warned them that long gone are the days when a policeman was a small law unto himself. Such brutes in uniform, journalists in Nairobi told the Kisumu FS, are the cops who joined the force by virtue of merely being tall or having run fastest at recruitment which is a lot that has no hope of rising above corporal hence vent their frustrations on Kenyans they deem to be doing better than them. They appealed to the Police Oversight Authority to take action.

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