Police are after my life, City Park shooting survivor now claims

Ms Janet Waiyaki who was shot dead by police officers at City Park in Nairobi on Sunday morning

A man who survived a shooting incident in which his female companion was killed says his life is in danger.

During the incident at City Park in Nairobi last week, 41-year-old Janet Waiyaki was shot dead while Bernard Chege, 26, sustained injuries.

Mr Chege said police officers were harassing him at Avenue Hospital, where is admitted.

He told a local media house on Tuesday that he was concerned that the police were treating him like a crime suspect and making a lot of demands on him.

“I have been put under a lot of pressure here in hospital. My wounds have not healed. I don’t know why the police are always here,” said Chege.

He said the police were demanding blood samples for DNA tests. They also brought a document that they insisted he should sign.

“When I declined to append my signature, the officers threatened to use force. Why are they forcing me to sign a document I know nothing about?” said a tearful Chege. 

He said he had learnt that the officers wanted to carry out a DNA test to ascertain he was the one at the scene of the shooting.

“I suspect these officers are up to something else. What do they want to ascertain when they are the same people who helped me get to hospital?”

Chege was in a car with Ms Waiyaki when the shooting occurred. He said he had opened the car window to listen to the policemen when he realised they were talking to him. That is when he noticed they had drawn their guns.

“I started the engine but before I could move, the officers started shooting at us.”

He said he started screaming for help when a bullet hit him.

“They did not help us immediately. I guess they wanted me to bleed to death.”

Chege’s mother, Faith Wangeci, said she feared for him as the police had been hovering at the hospital for the past three days.

Chege’s lawyer Gitau Gikonyo is said to have accused police of trying to irregularly ask hospital staff to extract samples from Chege.

“There is a procedure for DNA tests. A police officer cannot write to a hospital directing a member of staff to get samples if that patient has declined,” he said.