A man who was caught on camera in Nairobi’s Industrial Area being assaulted by an armed police officer has resurfaced and recorded a statement.
Police and Independent Policing Oversight Authority had appealed to Brian Ogutu to come out and record the statement to enable them take action on the officer.
This was after a video capturing the assault went viral on social media last week.
The victim, who is a loader at Print Park in Industrial Area said the drama began as he walkedg back to work after lunch and encountered a street boy trying to steal metal bars from a nearby godown.
Ogutu said he entered into altercation with the street boy trying to scare him away from the scene.
“One of my friends and colleague who had accompanied me to lunch, saw the melee and hurled a stone at the boy to ward him off. He however missed his target and the stone landed on a matatu damaging it,” said Ogutu.
A police officer who was in the matatu jumped out after it stopped and ran to where Ogutu was.
“The officer got hold of me and started kicking and hitting me. I tried to explain to him I was not behind the incident but he heard none of it as he pinned me to the ground even pressing my oesophagus,” Ogutu said after being questioned by police at the Nairobi Area police command.
The assault persisted for almost a minute as a witness recorded it. The witness shared the same online prompting hue and cry and action from police authorities.
The officer has since been identified as a driver attached to Industrial Area police station.
And after the assault, the officer booked Ogutu at Makongeni police station with his physical injuries.
”I tried telling the policeman that I work at Print Park next door and that my lunch break is over so I have to go back to work but he wouldn’t listen,” Ogutu said.
He was later released for medical attention.
The family says police have been trying to ask them not to press charges and instead settle the matter out of court. But the family says the incident was traumatizing and their son could have died given the manner in which he was assaulted and they want justice.
Nairobi Regional Police Commander Joseph ole Tito has ordered Industrial Area DCI boss to take over the case.
