The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has hit back at the Inspector General of Police Japheth Koome over his recent remarks directing police to turn their guns on suspected criminals and disregard the oversight body.
As debate rages on police use of excessive force and extra judicial killings, IPOA chair Anne Makori has now turned the heat on the country’s new top police boss with the two vital bodies now on a clear collision course over police conduct.
IG Koome on Friday told police officers to disregard IPOA’s heightened surveillance on excessive use of force by police officers, urging them to use their service weapons on suspected criminals.
Mr Koome promised he would shield officers who are targeted by IPOA, terming the oversight authority as “busybodies”.
In her rebuttal, IPOA boss Anne Makori has termed the remarks of the police boss as dangerous, pledging to tighten the noose on rogue officers.
“Our attention is drawn to the unfortunate and dangerous statement attributed to the Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome yesterday where he gave police officers a shoot to kill order against suspected criminals,” the IPOA boss said in a statement.
Ms Makori hit out at IG Koome accusing him of going back on his pledge to reform rogue officers within the service.
“On his part, the Inspector General in his swearing-in speech on 11th November 2022, acknowledged that 98percent of police officers are good while the remaining two percent needed to be rehabilitated with the support of institutions such as IPOA. It is in the spirit of this pledge that IPOA continues to commit to the execution of its mandate,” she said.
The IPOA chair warned officers against following the directives of the Inspector General saying that criminal culpability would be borne individually.
“In all, the Authority wishes to remind police officers where criminal culpability has been established, that is after investigations, it is individuals who have been called to account: Not the Service, not a Unit and it is expected that there will be compliance with the Sixth Schedule, Part C on specific responsibilities of superior officers from issuing unlawful orders,” Ms Makori said.
The exchange between the National Police Service and the oversight body, IPOA, is coming against a backdrop of increasing arrests of police officers for excessive use of force and extra judicial killings.
The latest case involves the arrest of infamous vigilante cop Ahmed Rashid for the broad daylight execution of two teenagers in Eastleigh five years.
IPOA has been facing criticism from a section of the police service as well as part of the public for its renewed vigour in fighting against excessive use of lethal force and extrajudicial killings.
A section of the police has accused the oversight body of being unfair and inconsiderate to the risks of police work.
However, IPOA maintains it is only trying to ensure that police officers operate within the legal framework as it attempts to weed out rogue officers.
