IPOA wants police officer to face manslaughter charges for shooting dead Kwale girl

NAIROBI, KENYA: The Director of Public Prosecution has directed the Independent Policing Oversight Authority to submit its investigations file into the Kwale shooting that left a 14 year old girl dead, by October 3 for action.

DPP Keriako Tobiko told IPOA chairman Macharia Njeru he needed to make a conclusion on the matter.

"Noting that IPOA has been carrying out independent investigations into this matter and in order to enable this office to make a holistic decision on the same I do hereby direct that you cause your investigations file together with your recommendations therein to be forwarded to this office on or before October 3, 2014," said Tobiko in a letter dated September 29.

The DPP said a police inquest file had recommended manslaughter charges against police who were involved in the shooting incident.

This followed a public inquest that was conducted in Mombasa.

Tobiko said Monday the file was forwarded to his office on September 23 and his office is reviewing the recommendations therein.

Kwekwe Mwandaza, whose first name is ironically similar to a special police unit now dismantled that was accused of extra judicial killings, was felled by bullets when eight policemen stormed her family's home in Kinango, Kwale County.

Authorities bowed to mounting public outrage to announce they had opened investigations into the murder of the minor shot by eight policemen during a raid on their home in Kinango, Kwale County.

IPOA opened an investigation into the shooting and announced that its officials recovered two live bullets and a spent cartridge from the ground.

Police have been clinging to the theory that Kwekwe was killed when she attacked the policemen with a panga (machete). Officials appeared to suggest the officers killed her in self defence, allegedly because she was obstructing them from arresting her uncle George Zani who they allege is a murder suspect.

But Kwekwe's two cousins who claimed they were in the house when the incident occurred, contradicted the police version of events, reporting that the officers burst into their house at night after breaking their door.

Mgandi George, 8, and Luvuno George, 7, said the police then lobbed teargas into the house and as the family choked in the fumes opened fire. Kwekwe, a class six pupil, died on the spot. Mgandi claimed Kwekwe was shot in bed apparently as she slept.

"In the house, we were three; Kwekwe Mwandaza, me and Luvuno and the police just hit and opened the door and shot Mwandaza at close range," he said while crying. And his sister Luvuno also alleged Kwekwe attacked no one.

Tragically, the police claim the man they were looking for when they burst into the house Kwekwe was sleeping is still at large.