The Inspector General of Police is being asked by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to thoroughly investigate the event in Mombasa when a driver drove over and murdered a traffic police officer while attempting to elude a traffic security check.
In a statement released on Tuesday, IPOA urged investigating agencies to investigate the case to address the rise in incidents of individuals attacking police officers.
According to IPOA chairperson Anne Makori, "we recommend to the IG that such an enquiry should be broadened to unearth the underlying factors into a dangerous trend where attacks on law enforcement officers are becoming common." The incident in Mombasa happened on Monday, and all investigative options may need to be exhausted.
"A life lost by unnatural causes is one too many, and we therefore ask the IG to unravel all conditions that may be causing the troubling pattern of animosity between the police and some members of the public," the statement reads.
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The IPOA denounced the incident and urged the public to respect the law and report any police misbehaviour to the appropriate authorities rather than enforcing it themselves.
According to one of its suggestions from the 2019 Traffic Management Monitoring Report, IPOA urged the police department to abide by the rules to reduce such incidents.
In addition, Makori said, "We strongly condemn the acts of those in our communities who, whenever they feel wronged by police actions, end up enforcing the law on their own."
Such heartless actions destroy people, property, and livelihoods. Over time, the National Police Service has received recommendations from IPOA regarding various topics, including traffic management, as a result of its monitoring operations. If some of the ideas are implemented, it will help reduce future assaults on police officers doing traffic control tasks.
Osman Jama Abdi, driving a silver Toyota Ractis, ran over and murdered Julius Marwa, a traffic official, on Monday at Mombasa's Buxton crossroads.
A police report states that Marwa was directing traffic when he flagged down Abdi for a traffic inspection, but the latter refused to switch off the engine so the officer could perform the check.
Marwa is claimed to have opened the driver's door to turn off the ignition when Abdi allegedly grabbed his hand and sped off.
Marwa is said to have been flung out of the vehicle after travelling around 200 meters before being struck by the back right wheel and suffering severe pelvic fractures and brain injuries.
