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Arrest Mission Turns Violent : Security Team's Weekend Raid Leaves Trail of Destruction in Village

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Several people were arrested and scores of others injured in a police raid at a village in Kisii at the weekend.

Residents interpreted the incident, in which property was destroyed, as a revenge mission to the chasing away of four police officers who earlier had attempted to arrest mourners they found drinking chang'aa (an illicit spirit).

Among those critically injured was a Form Four candidate who had to be rushed to hospital after he collapsed as a result of the beating by the officers.

Three of those held by the police on allegations of being found taking chang'aa were three Standard Six girls from Mokorogoinwa Primary School and a Form Three student from Chibwobi Secondary School.

A Standard Seven boy from Suguta Primary School was also arrested together with 40 villagers and was still in custody as we went to press.

The pupil, identified by relatives as Vincent Moturi, fainted and was allegedly left for dead by the law enforcers.

"On spotting the policemen, he started running away but the officers gave chase, caught up with him and beat him up using batons until he collapsed," claimed his brother, Peter.

Three primary school teachers were also arrested in the raid at Masimba village. One of them was arrested after questioning why the officers used excessive force in apprehending the residents.

A church elder, Mr Joel Ndege, claimed the officers snatched his mobile phone as they arrested his deacon wife on claims that she was found being drunk and disorderly.

"They took my phone, arrested my wife who is also an elder at Mobaroka SDA Church and and my sister-in-law, Jackline Nyakoboke, who had come to visit us," he said.

Yesterday, area councillor Mose Getanda led other leaders in protesting at the arrests and accused the police of torturing innocent residents.

Local police boss Allan Sangoro could not be reached for comment. A senior police officer at the Kisii police station, who sought anonymity, confirmed the arrests but denied allegations that the officers used force.

He also refuted claims that the officers were on a revenge mission.

"We were only on duty and we never went out to revenge," he said.