Ugly scenes in Busia after police shoot boy for face-mask

Chaos took over streets of Malaba border In Busia County after irate residents engaged police in running battles following the killing of a young man in the area.

Police on patrol are reported to have shot dead a 27 years old Ezekiel Odera for not having a face mask.

After he was shot and left bleeding, members of public tried to rush the victim to a nearby hospital but on arrival he quickly succumbed from the bullet.

And on Saturday November 28th afternoon, locals thronged the streets, lit bonfires and took off their masks in defiance of Covid-19 State orders in a daring show of solidarity.

Reacting on the same, Teso North Member of Parliament Oku Kaunya Edward called on the Inspector of Police Hillary Mutyambai to punish the rogue suspect police who pulled the trigger against the innocent boy.

“I condemn with the strongest terms the incident that took place. It is unfortunate that police officers can use firearms because a young man has not put on a mask. Action should be taken by the IG. The officer must be arrested and arraigned in court,” Kaunya said.

He warned police of taking lives of Citizen in the area for-granted just because they wanted bribes by all means. He further defended that picketing must be allowed to take place.

“The public is demonstrating peacefully and the GSU should not be deployed to harm them. They are expressing their rightful anger because this was a wrong and barbaric behaviour,” added MP Kaunya.

Just in the neighbouring Kakamega County at a place called Likuyani, two police officers were nabbed for a suspected murder of Denis Lusava who they claimed had not put on a face-mask.

Cases of police taking advantage of presidential orders to harm ‘mwananchi’ have been on the rise and if not checked early, may create unnecessary friction between the public and police.

Several victim’s families have claimed that police are using the orders to solicit bribes from Kenyans and for those who cannot afford get subjected to the bullet