馃嚢馃嚜KenyaEast Africa
High Court awards former JKUAT student KSh 8 million for police brutality
via Tuko2 min read
A High Court in Nairobi has awarded a former Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology JKUAT student KSh 8 million in compensation for unlawful assault, arrest, and detention by police officers during student protests in November 2019. Justice Patricia Nyaundi ruled that the student's constitutional rights, including human dignity, freedom from cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment, and security of the person, were violated. The court directed the Inspector General of the National Police Service and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions ODPP to jointly pay the compensation. The student was allegedly confronted, assaulted, and arrested by police without justification, beaten, kicked, and denied medical treatment while detained in poor conditions. He was later released without being formally charged. Video footage confirmed the assault, and although the ODPP found sufficient evidence to prosecute the officers, the matter was referred to a diversion program that was not implemented. The court found this failure denied the student access to justice. Medical and psychological assessments indicated the student suffered physical injuries and trauma, including symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. This judgment comes amid ongoing public debate and scrutiny over police conduct during demonstrations.
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