IG Koome sued over 2017 post-election police killings
Inspector General Japheth Koome has been sued over cases of police brutality and killings during the 2017 post-general elections when he was serving as the Nairobi Police Commander.
Koome is being sued by Muslims for Human Rights (MUHURI), the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC), and the Director of MUHURI, Khelef Khalifa.
“The petition has centered on the aftermath of the 2017 presidential election, during which police employed brutal and deadly force to suppress dissent, resulting in 33 fatalities in the capital,” the lobbies said.
Koome was then Nairobi Police Commander.
Protests occurred in the country after the then Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairman Wafula Chebukati announced former President Uhuru Kenyatta as the winner of the 2017 general elections.
The protests mostly occurred in Raila Odinga’s strongholds.
Other than IG Koome, the organizations also sued the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) and the Attorney-General (AG).
According to the organizations, they received a delayed response from the IPOA upon requesting information on January 24 about the agency’s actions following the 2017 police killings.
“Per the petition, IPOA delayed its response until April 12, when they replied that they were investigating only 15 cases, not all 33,” they stated.
They added that Khalifa wrote to Koome on July 26, 2023, inquiring about the progress of the investigation into the police killings of the remaining 18 people.
Like IPOA, Koome delayed his response until August 15. According to the petition, Koome declined to furnish details of the investigation and redirected Khalifa to seek answers from IPOA.
They have said that they are suing IG Koome, IPOA the Attorney General so the court can help them obtain investigation reports into police killings in order to hold those responsible accountable.