With revellers and party lovers in Nakuru accusing police of harassment, a senior police OCPD has defended his juniors arguing that they were simply doing their job.
The party goers are accusing police patrolling the Central Business District (CBD) of excessive use of force and extortion. However, Central Police Station OCPD Benard Kioko has dismissed this as lame excuses from a stubborn drunken lot.
Revellers complain of harassment and unnecessary arrest by the police if you do not comply or bribe your way out. They say you may also be locked up if accused of being drunk and disorderly.
“I was from a friend’s birthday party at Dimples Club when I met them, it was barely half past 10. They never wanted to listen to me even after I produced my Identity Card, which they asked for,” explained Sam Kinoti, a student at Jommo Kenyatta University Nakuru Campus in the CBD.
To Michelle Mwangi, such complaints should come from new comers in Nakuru arguing that being arrested at night was not new to her.
“The problem is, the officers assume that at night, everybody is drunk. I rave every weekend but alcohol is not my thing. I always have a spare Sh200 for them (police) anywhere you meet them because failure will see you taken to Central Police Station,” she said.
Ken Okwach wonders if it’s illegal to go clubbing in Nakuru because meeting the police is a nightmare one should never want to experience.
“Nakuru is the only place where I have seen policemen arresting people at a night club’s entrance as if it’s a very big offense to have fun” Okwach noted.
Kioko says, “Being questioned by an officer at night is normal because you never know who you are dealing with. Some of these young people are stubborn and abusive while drunk; they just don’t want to cooperate with officers at night.”
According to Kioko, it’s obvious that you were found with a mistake if you find yourself locked up in a cell in the morning.
“At times, we choose to have them in our cells till morning before releasing them for free for fear that if we let them go in that drunken state late in the night, they might be attacked or harmed because some are usually too drunk,” he added.
He dismissed the allegations saying that of late, the police force is a professional outfit serving citizens with passion.