City Park shooting survivor says his life is in danger

Bernard Chege at Avenue Hospital Nairobi. (Courtesy)

The 26-year-old who survived police shooting at City Park where his companion Janet Waiyaki was killed, now says his life is in danger.

In an interview with a local media house on Tuesday, Bernard Chege said police have been all over his hospital bed at Avenue Hospital in Parklands harassing him.

Struggling to stop himself from breaking down, Chege said the police were treating him like a crime suspect coming up with all sorts of demands.

“I’m getting a lot of pressure here in hospital. My wounds haven’t healed, but the police are always here,” he said.

Frist, Chege said the police were demanding his samples for DNA testing, then they brought a document insisting that he signs. When he declined, he said the police officers threatened to use force.

“They (police) are forcing me to sign a document saying if I don’t comply they will use force,” said the man in tears.

Chege also said he had information that the officers wanted to carry out a DNA test on him to ascertain that he was the one at the scene of the shooting, a matter which he finds unconvincing since, he was helped out of the crime scene by the same police.

“I’m told they want to confirm if it was me who was at City Park. It’s the same police who got me from the car with bullet wounds. How can I be a suspect?” he questioned.

Chege also recounted the events that occurred on the day of the shooting where 41year old Janet was killed.

“I was about to open the window to hear what the cops were saying, when I saw that they had all withdrawn their guns. I started the engine, but before I could go even 10meters they began shooting at us,” he recalled.

Chege said when a bullet hit him, he started screaming for help but the police officers stayed put.

“I can’t tell if he wanted me to bleed to death,” he said painfully.

Bernard’s mother Faith Wangeci said she is scared because officers have been hovering around the hospital for the past three days, not stating clearly what they wanted.

She asserted that the incident was a clear case of extrajudicial killing and want those involved charged.

According to media reports, Chege’s family lawyer Gitau Gikonyo also accused police of trying to unprocedurally ask hospital staff to extract samples from Mr Chege.

“There is a procedure through which DNA tests are done. As a police officer, you don’t do a letter to a hospital directing one of the health workers to remove samples and if that patient is not complying, you want to apply force,” he said.

Gikonyo also said they will go to court to ensure the government guarantees Chege’s safety.

Chege said he has in the past few days, been moved from one ward to another at Avenue Hospital in Parklands, Nairobi, as he tried to dodge police officers dressed in civilian clothes at the hospital.