The debate on whether it’s right for police to execute alleged criminals is heated. A video showing an execution in Eastleigh over the weekend went viral, and most Kenyans are surprisingly on the side of the police.
Yesterday we conducted a poll asking whether you support police executions. More than 70% of those who took the poll said YES.
You can still vote on that HERE.
People have been narrating about their own personal experiences with criminal gangs in the city. Here’s one by Tracy Wairimu on Facebook.
But there’s another side of the coin.
One Allan Omache on Facebook posted about his experience with police executions. Here’s the post.
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You know why I am strongly against this indiscriminate killings just because one is suspected of being a thug?
Walk with me back in time. Stop at 2012. December to be precise!
A few friends are gathered in a bachelor’s pad somewhere in South B playing Video games. Pro-Evolution Soccer. They play and play and play. Laughing and rubbing in each goal scored with a pinch of salt. They were four guys, all childhood friends. People I grew up playing football on the dusty fields of Mariakani Primary with.
At around 7:00PM, as they are still playing, they hear gunshots outside the house and voices telling them to surrender. Three of the guys lie down confused but one jumps out through the window in a daring move, squeezes between the mabati houses and disappears into the darkness. Police move in and find the three lying down.
One of the policemen who happens to be in jail now for murder took pillow cases, put them to the heads of the three guys and shot them. One after the other. He made sure that they were dead then got out with his colleagues and left. Another police vehicle came and picked the bodies.
It later turned out that the guys who had been executed in cold blood were actually innocent fun loving kids crazy about video games. Their only crime was being in a house that belonged to a criminal who as chance had it escaped unscathed. (The guy was also shot dead mid last year) Just like that, 3 innocent souls were lost!
If somebody is suspected of being a criminal, has been arrested or better still has surrendered and in not posing any danger to law enforcement agencies, then it’s only fair that they have their day in court and are punished within the law. These extra judicial killings path is a dangerous path to tread.
Lawlessness anywhere is a threat to the rule of law everywhere.
(Apologies for the sensitivities that this post might prick. Esp friends of the departed. A know quite a number are my friends on FB)
