An angry mob on Thursday set Mbururu Police post office block on fire over what they claimed to be regular harassment from officers based at the station.
They alleged that the officers have been arresting and assaulting them at the police post without reason and later ask for money before they are released.
They claimed their efforts to seek help from senior police officers from the area have been futile as no action has been taken against the accused officers prompting them to take the law into their hands.
The residents were angered after a young man, Dennis Lusava, who hail from the area was reported to have gone missing after being arrested and assaulted by the officers on Wednesday.
The charged crowd stormed the police post in their hundreds demanding to know the whereabouts of Lusava whom they suspected had been assaulted to death and his body taken to an unknown place by the officers.
They confronted the officers and overpowered them before setting the police post on fire and injured the officer commanding Matunda police station.
Western regional police commander Peris Kimani who visited the scene, said the suspect alleged to have gone missing had assaulted a police officer based at the post on Tuesday before being arrested on Wednesday and locked up at the police post for few hours and later released on a free bond since the officers had not prepared the required documents to charge him in court. However, he never reached home.
“He had assaulted one of the officers on Tuesday and when they arrested him they found a P3 form had not been filled and so they could not take him to court forcing them to release him on a free bond as they work on other formalities,” said Ms. Kimani.
She said after failing to see her son, the suspect’s mother visited the police post where she was informed by the corporal in charge that her son had been released on free bond.
Unsatisfied with the explanation, the mother proceeded to Matunda police station where she explained her case to the officer commanding the station who took up the matter immediately and rushed to Mbururu where he was welcomed by a charged crowd of over 200 youths.
His efforts to calm them down bore no fruits as they started pelting stones at the OCS and his team seriously injuring him on the head.
He was rescued and rushed to Matunda sub county hospital as the crowd which had overwhelmed the officers proceeded to set the post on fire before reinforcements drawn from the GSU and other stations were called in to contain the situation.
The fire gutted the armoury destroying firearms and other important equipment.
Residents want police to be held responsible for the missing man while on the other hand police have vowed to ensure those who participated in the act of arson face the law.
Kimani has pledged thorough investigations into the incident will be done and appealed for cooperation and good working relationship between members of the public and police.
By Sammy Mwibanda
