Did police kill an innocent Grade 9 pupil?
What you need to know:
- Ms Fatuma dismissed allegations that her son was a criminal, questioning the motive behind his killing.
- "Why was he killed? If he had done something wrong, they should have arrested him. But he had nothing. They have killed the love of my life. It’s painful beyond words," she lamented.
On Tuesday morning, Hamisi Ibrahim, 14, left his grandmother’s house to join his friends in the Kwadziwe area of Likoni.
Moments later, gunshots were heard in the neighbourhood and the teenager was left lying in a pool of blood a few blocks behind the house.
His family has been left mourning the tragic death of the Grade 9 pupil at Mrima Primary School, who was fatally shot by police under unclear circumstances.
The boy’s mother, Ms Fatuma Haji, confirmed the heartbreaking incident, stating that Hamisi, the second-born in a family of three, had just finished breakfast at his grandmother’s house around 9am before leaving to play with friends.
"We were in the house when the gunshot was heard. We rushed outside, only to find chaos. Police officers arrived quickly and took away the body of my child," Ms Fatuma narrated.
Ms Fatuma Haji (right) is consoled by a neighbour at their home in Likoni on January 7, 2025 after her 14-year-old son was fatally shot and killed by police on Tuesday morning.
Struggling to hold back tears, she described Hamisi as a well-behaved boy who dreamed of becoming a farmer, noting that he reared chickens at home.
However, the police claimed that the boy was part of a member of a criminal gang that had been robbing members of the public while armed with machetes.
Confirming the incident, Likoni Sub-County Police Commander Geoffrey Ruheni said a distress call was made to the Inuka Police Station at 9:18 a.m., stating that criminals were robbing people at Masjid Ghazal village within the Shonda location in Likoni Sub-County.
Mr Ruheni said officers who were dispatched to the scene found three armed juveniles robbing passersby.
“When challenged, the said thugs turned against them with pangas which prompted them to fire a shot in the air but the thugs kept on advancing towards them. Unfortunately, one was shot dead and the others managed to escape and mingled with the public,” he said.
Witnesses said the police who shot the teenager in the head were not in uniform.
The Likoni police boss said parents must ensure that their children are not involved in criminal activities at home.
The deceased’s body was taken to the Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital mortuary awaiting postmortem. Police added that a machete was collected at the scene and will be preserved as an exhibit.
Ms Fatuma dismissed allegations that her son was a criminal, questioning the motive behind his killing.
"Why was he killed? If he had done something wrong, they should have arrested him. But he had nothing. They have killed the love of my life. It’s painful beyond words," she lamented.
She added that Hamisi was eagerly preparing to return to school this term, with only his new uniform pending.
The family and the community are demanding justice and answers from the authorities regarding the circumstances of the boy’s death.
