Police spokesman Charles Owino [Photo/Nation media group]
Police spokesperson Charles Owino has challenged Amnesty International to go in court over the cases of killing captured in the report released on Monday morning.
He said the reports were unfounded with the National police service commission refuting reports that at least 33 people have been killed in violent demonstrations following the August 8 polls outcome.
Transparency International pointed a finger at the police who were on various occasions deployed to areas where citizens took it to the streets. Mr Owino while in a phone interview with KTN News said police only turn out to protect lives and property saying only criminal elements among protestors would be dealt with in accordance with the law.
He said it is every Kenyan's right to be protected and when asked about the Cass of a 73-year-old woman with gunshot wounds in Migiri, he said when there is a shooting it is very difficult to know where the bullet would land. He added that a stray bullet depending on circumstances would easily get a person who is not even involved in demonstrations. Mr Owino revealed that the police have live bullets ready as it is as good as having the lives off the officers at risk without bullets give the nature of protests in some areas.
"We use rubber bullets but we must have guns with live bullets in demonstrations. A gun ceases to be a gun when it does not have live bullets," said Mr Owino.
Mr Owino noted that officers found to have violated the law can be taken to court noting that the service has cases of officers in jail but he condemned the current situation even as various sectors blame law enforcers of brutality and termed it as politicising the police.