At least 150 law enforcement officers in Kenya have been interdicted in the last five years over allegations of killing civilians, corruption and misconduct, highlighting the fraught relations between the citizens and the security personnel.
The review of publicly available information by the Nation comes even as questions remains on what happens after the interdictions and how long it takes for victims to get justice. While some cases have proceeded to court, other officers have quietly returned to work without facing any consequences. The latest to join the list are officers from Central Police Station under investigation over the murder of teacher and blogger Albert Ojwang .
A sneak peak of various cases—which includes police and prison officers—point to use of excessive physical force, firearm, violence, murder and enforced disappearance by members of the Kenya disciplined forces in performance of their duties.
A police officer aims a teargas canister Anti-Finance Bill at protesters on June 25, 2024 on Kenyatta Avenue in Nairobi.
Photo credit: Billy Ogada | Nation Media Group
The officers, led by Chief Inspector of Police Peter Muthee, are under prosecution at a magistrate court in Kahawa, Kiambu County. They were interdicted in 2023 following their arrest. Recently the Director of Public Prosecutions Renson Ingonga lost an application to deny them bail pending trial. Both the High Court and Court of Appeal upheld the magistrate's decision to release the suspects.
“We were not convinced that the two courts below erred in any way in finding that there were no compelling reasons for denying the respondents release on bail/bond and an appeal therefrom would be unarguable,” said Justices Patrick Kiage, Lydia Achode and Joel Ngugi.
The DPP had argued that the trial court erred by disregarding key considerations, including the gravity of the alleged offences, the likelihood of interference with witnesses, and the public interest in ensuring justice for crimes against humanity.
Still in 2023, some 67 police officers, who were pushed out of the National Police Service (NPS) after being implicated in bribery and corruption malpractices, returned to work following a court order.
They had been interdicted on the recommendation of the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to the Head of Public Service Felix Koskei, who then directed the Inspector-General of Police to interdict them.
A rights activist sued on the police officers’ behalf, alleging violation of the constitution as the officers were not granted an opportunity to defend themselves.
Further, the petition challenged powers of the Head of Public Service directing the police boss, emphasising that the NPS was an independent entity.
The EACC was accused of failing to uphold professional ethics, accountability for administrative actions, transparency, and timely provision of information to the public.
Elsewhere, four police officers are under trial for allegedly beating and injuring university students during a 2019 protest over increased insecurity in Juja area, Kiambu County. They were interdicted following public uproar.
The incident happened on August 20, 2024. Jumaisi was accused of murdering and dismembering 42 women and dumping their bodies at an abandoned quarry in Embakasi. The suspect is still at large.
The officers, who were on duty during the jail break, were arraigned in court with accusations of aiding the suspect to escape. They denied the charges and the case is pending trial.
Prison warder and vocal social media user Jackson Kuria, alias Shakur the cop, was also sent packing over allegations of participating in anti-Finance Bill protests in June 2024.
The prison warder was charged with publishing false information, in violation of Section 23 of the Computer Misuse and Cyber Crime Act. The case revolves around allegations of linking the Executive to the abduction of government critics. He denied the charges and is out on a bond of Sh100,000, pending the trial.
In August 2021, six police officers were interdicted over the murder of two siblings at Kianjokoma village, Embu County while enforcing the Covid-19 curfew rules.
The officers – James Mwaniki Njogu, Benson Mbuthia, Consolata Kariuki, Nicholas Cheruiyot, Martin Wanyama and Lilian Cherono – are accused of murdering brothers Benson Njiru and Emmanuel Mutura on the night of August 1, 2021. The trial is ongoing and is scheduled to resume on July 2, 2025 at the High Court in Milimani.
Still in 2021, the former Commissioner-General of the Kenya Prisons Service, Wycliffe Ogallo, was interdicted and pushed out of office in a dramatic turn following the escape of three terror convicts from Kamiti Maximum Security Prison. His firing by former President Uhuru Kenyatta was a direct consequence of the security breach at the highly guarded correctional facility.
Twelve prison warders were also interdicted and arraigned in court over the jail break. They have since been found to have a case to answer by a magistrate court in Kahawa. The trial is ongoing and is at the defence hearing stage. The wardens were charged with neglect of official duties and aiding the escape of the convicted terrorists.
Last month, 12 police officers were suspended after six suspects escaped at Siaya Law Courts. The suspects, who were facing capital offences, outsmarted the officers after appearing in court and were supposed to be taken back to remand. According to court officials, the suspects made the daring escape from custody just as they were walking out of the courtroom. Investigations into the incident are ongoing.
Police officers Klinzy Barasa and Duncan Kiprono in Milimani Law Courts.
Photo credit: Micah Nyandoro | Nation
At the capital city Nairobi, two police officers – Klinzy Masinde Baraza and Duncan Kiprono – are in remand over accusations of grievously assaulting and shooting a hawker during anti-government protests. Their prosecution came hours after they were interdicted from the National Police Service, pending the court process.
Milimani Senior Magistrate Benmark Ekhubi directed that the officers remain in custody as investigations by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (Ipoa) and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) continue.
Central Police Station OCS Samson Talaam before the Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi on June 16, 2025.
Photo credit: Billy Ogada | Nation Media Group
All the officers were detained for 14 days, to allow Ipoa conclude investigations into Ojwang’s death. Preliminary investigations showed that Ojwang’ was tortured.
In Nyandarua County, the OCS of Rwanyambo Police Post was interdicted, pending investigations, after a woman miscarried while in police custody.
Although Police Spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga did not reveal the name of the officer who was interdicted, he promised to give the progress of the investigations.
In Nairobi, four senior police officers were interdicted and are facing charges for crimes against humanity, rape and murder of Baby Samantha Pendo and 39 other people in Kisumu in 2017.
John Chengo Masha, Lina Kosgey, Cyprine Robi Wankio and James Rono were recently charged after the DPP approved the charges against them.
Mr Masha, a senior officer, faces charges of murder, rape, and crimes against humanity under the International Crimes Act. He is accused of failing to prevent his subordinates from storming civilian homes, where they allegedly beat residents with clubs, raped more than 20 women, and subjected them to other forms of abuse.
The prosecution said that at his command, police officers broke into several homes, tear gassed and assaulted residents, and raped women.
The NPS had initially interdicted 12 police officers but after months of court battles as civil society organisations pushed for the prosecution of the senior police officers, the charges against seven others were dropped. A warrant for the arrest of Mohammed Bar, a retired police officer also implicated in the matter, is still in place.
In a recent ruling, High Court judge Margaret Muigai released the officers on cash bail of Sh1 million, each. The court also directed each of them to provide two sureties of Sh500,000, each. The former police officers were also ordered not interfere with witnesses or victims, tamper with evidence, or visit the crime scenes.
They are barred from leaving the court’s jurisdiction and must attend all court sessions, while their proxies were prohibited from disclosing or sharing any information related to the case, including contacts of witnesses or victims.
Still in the capital city, an officer is under active investigations by the DCI over the murder of another officer from the General Service Unit (GSU) and who was attached to the Central Bank of Kenya, over a shooting incident on February 23, 2025 in the Ruaraka area.
The county has been characterised by rising insecurity incidents and confrontations between police and citizens.
