Kolanya Boys Secondary School form two student, Ezekiel Odera, has passed on after being shot by Police officers reinforcing COVID-19 safety protocols in Malaba.
The incident happened sparked chaos in Malaba town yesterday (Friday).
The local people marched to Malaba Police Station, Blocked the Malaba – Bungoma road, and lit a bonfire to show their anger over the killing.
The boy, Ezekiel Odera is said to have succumbed to a gunshot wound that he sustained on Friday after the police shot him while on patrol in Malaba town.
Ezekiel Odera is a Form Two student at Kolanya Boys Secondary School. He was pronounced dead at Kocholia sub-county hospital. Friends had rushed the boy to the hospital trying to save his life.
A police bullet hit the boy as the local people were trying to stop the police from arresting people who were not wearing masks. Chaos ensued and the police began to engage the crowd that had resisted arrest at the town.
This resulted in a tussle with the police and this led to the police shooting at the crowd.
“He had just arrived in town as the town people tried to stop the police from arresting people who were wearing masks. Chaos ensued and the police responded by shooting at the crowd and unfortunately killed my brother,” said Moses Okiru, brother to the deceased Ezekiel Odera.
Margaret Okiru, the mother to Odera, blamed the police for using unnecessary force to enforce the Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 protocols.
She said she would have preferred to pay a fine instead of having her son killed over the wearing of masks.
“The Police who killed my son should tell me why he did so,” added Margaret.
She revealed that her son was a humble and hardworking boy who did all he could to ensure there is food on the table for his family.
The father of the deceased, Victor Odera said he was shocked by the death of his son.
“My son died a bitter death, he never deserved to die this way. We hope they will investigate and the culprit arraigned in court for justice to be served,” he said.
According to the family, Odera was working in the town where he was washing motorbikes and automobiles near a roadblock in Malaba town as a way to keep going financially.
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Busia Governor Sospeter Ojaamong condemned the killing saying he was aware of the complaints from the local people about police officers harassing them.
He promised to hold a meeting with those in charge of security in the area including County Commissioner Joseph Kanyiri and County Police Commander John Nyoike to find the best of enforcing regulations without threatening the lives of the locals.
The governor urged the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to intervene and carry out the investigation.
Ojaamong blamed the police for turning the issue of the mask into a way of extorting people adding that individuals who were arrested were forced to pay a certain amount of money in order to be released.
“The incident at Malaba is regrettable. The police should embrace the culture of telling people to wear masks not to harass and arrest them so that they ask them to bribe their way out,” said Ojaamong.
The governor also said that the officer who fired the bullet is already in custody and that investigation has begun.
The Area Woman Representative Florence Mutua also condemned the incident and asked for a thorough investigation with the intention of ensuring that the family gets the justice that they deserve.