Multimedia University Student’s Leg Raptured by Police Weeks After Enrolling, IPOA Confirms.
The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) announced on Wednesday that it has launched investigations into allegations of police brutality against a Multimedia University student during protests held on Tuesday. The investigation focuses on an incident where police officers were caught on video using excessive force.
Preliminary findings from IPOA revealed that a teargas canister thrown by the police into one of the women’s hostels ignited a fire, which was extinguished by university staff.
The student, whose identity was confirmed, sustained severe leg injuries after being left near a teargas canister that exploded.
IPOA stated that the investigation would result in recommendations, including possible prosecution of the officers involved if they are found culpable.
The protests at Multimedia University were sparked by the students’ dissatisfaction with poor sanitation and water shortages at the institution. Several videos circulating on social media show officers in riot gear using excessive force, including one where a student was manhandled despite pleading for mercy.
In one clip, officers are seen hurling a teargas canister near the student, which detonated, worsening the situation.
The officers continued to assault the student, pushing him to the ground and walking away, as other students watched in fear.
Victim of Police Brutality
Trevor Mathenge is currently hospitalized at Orthopaedic Medical Services Hospital in Rongai. Mureithi had been on campus for only three weeks when the protests began.
According to his peers, he was injured after falling into a ditch while fleeing the teargas. Despite his injuries, officers dragged him from the ditch and assaulted him further. A video shows an officer calmly pulling out a teargas canister, removing the pin, and dropping it beside Mureithi, who was already injured.
Mureithi sustained a fractured leg and underwent surgery on Wednesday. He is also grappling with emotional trauma from the violent incident.
Multimedia University’s acting Vice-Chancellor, Rosebella Orangi Maranga, denied inviting the police to handle the protests, stating that the gates were open and that the police entered on their own accord.
It remains unclear whether students who were assaulted by the police had engaged in illegal activities or were lawfully targeted according to guidelines under the Sixth Schedule of the National Police Service Act, 2011.
The university administration attributed the water shortage to a damaged main water pipe, which disrupted the flow of water to the institution.
Student Union and Public Reactions
The Multimedia University of Kenya Students Association (MUKSA) condemned the police brutality, with its Chairperson, Ronald Cheruiyot, criticizing the attack on Mureithi as unjustified.
Cheruiyot pointed out that the students had peacefully notified the institution about their protest, making the violent response unnecessary. He demanded accountability for those responsible for the injuries inflicted on Mureithi, whose leg was severely dislocated.
The student leader also announced that demonstrations have been suspended and called upon the Ministry of Education to address the mismanagement issues at the institution.
He issued a 48-hour ultimatum for the confirmation of Prof. Maranga as the permanent Vice-Chancellor, warning that failure to do so would lead to further protests at the Ministry offices.
The incident has drawn condemnation from various quarters. Haki Africa Executive Director, Hussein Khalid, decried the police brutality, calling it a sad reflection of the state of law enforcement in the country.
He emphasized the need for the police to act within the bounds of the law and uphold human rights during demonstrations.
Conclusion of Investigations and Next Steps
IPOA continues to investigate the incident and stressed that, if culpability is established, necessary actions, including prosecution, will be taken against the involved officers.
The use of excessive force by law enforcement during student protests has raised significant concerns about the treatment of peaceful demonstrators and the accountability of police officers in Kenya.
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Multimedia University Student’s Leg Raptured by Police Weeks After Enrolling, IPOA Confirms.
