Turjumaad ayaa la diyaarinayaa

Kenya’s police watchdog, the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), has gone to court seeking to keep a police officer behind bars, blocking his release on bond, after he was accused of fatally shooting a 22-year-old taxi driver, Aden Mohamed, at a roadblock in Garissa on April 21.

The legal intervention comes a day after the court adjourned the case to allow the suspect to find a lawyer, escalating a case that has sparked public outrage and protests over persistent police brutality in Kenya. The officer is set to face manslaughter charges, marking a critical test for the country’s police accountability mechanisms.

IPOA filed the urgent application on Friday, May 22, arguing that releasing the officer would pose a “serious risk” to their investigation. ” The authority further argued that releasing the officer on bond would pose a serious risk to the ongoing investigation, claiming there is a likelihood that he could compromise evidence,” according to court documents seen by Dalsan Media . The watchdog has urged the court to detain the suspect while inquiries into the fatal shooting continue.

The case stems from a harrowing incident in the early hours of April 21. Witnesses told police that Mohamed, a taxi driver, was called by two friends who had been arrested and handcuffed at the Modika roadblock . A confrontation with the police officer followed, ending with the officer allegedly shooting Mohamed in the head at close range before fleeing the scene . The suspect reportedly neglected his duties for over 15 days before resurfacing .