Injustice In Kenya: How The Rich And Influential Use Cops To Harass And Intimidate

A friend of mine told me a heart-rending story of how he owed someone Sh 1,500 but ended up paying Sh 4,000 after he was arrested by police and thrown into the cells for three harrowing days through the instigation of his debtor. He later learnt that the debt had been raised so as to cover bribe money for the police and other "expense."

Under such circumstances, the creditors' friends and relatives will raise the money as a matter of urgency as nobody wants his kin to spend time in police cells which are notorious for several nasty things starting from terrible skin diseases, to assaults and even deaths of inmates

This is just one of the hundreds if not thousands of similar cases that happen in this country every year as police are 'hired' by the rich and influential as well as anybody with the cash to spare, to do dirty work like debt collecting, extortion, framing an innocent person and so on as law enforcers look into ways of supplementing their meager income.

It is this same police force that is expected to be out there hunting down the dangerous criminals that are killing innocent mwananchi with impunity that have now resulted to being among other things, debt collectors and agents of extortionists.

Apparently, it is not only the junior policemen that have been sucked into this web of doing unscrupulous 'jobs' for those with cash as their senior's are also involved in these racket that has grossly affected the credibility of the police. Show me a Kenyan who trusts the police and I will show you blue grass.

Many thought that these injustices would end with former president Moi's era and everybody assumed that 2003 would mark a new beginning in many ways for Kenyans, majority of citizens couldn't have been further from the truth.

Then there are situations where the police themselves set the stage for the extortion especially in minor cases like simple assault. This is how it works. When you report that you have been assaulted, the police will go ahead and arrest the accused person and scare him or her that he could serve a stiff penalty in jail and it would be wise on his part to settle the matter while still in the hands of the police.

In such instances, the policemen act as the mediators where the complainant is convinced that its better to take money and run as court cases are lengthy and might not necessarily be ruled in your favor, on reaching a 'practical' amount, the accused is informed and advised by police that this is the best option.

Police could 'benefit' in two ways as they will ask the suspect for more money than the complainant wants and pocket the difference then go the other side and demand for a percentage from the complainant for 'helping him make money'.

The list is endless, the police, besides those in the traffic department have created ways of making money on the side at the expense of national security and with a boss in the name of the domineering, arrogant and deceitful John Michuki, the future of the force does not look particularly bright, whatever we are being told.

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