Lawyer Willis Otieno has issued a warning to Inspector General of Police Japheth Koome and Nairobi Police Boss Adamson Bungei regarding the use of excessive force on peaceful protesters.
Speaking during a Citizen Assembly Forum on X (formerly Twitter) on July 7, 2024, Otieno emphasized that police officers involved in the killing of Baby Pendo during the 2017 post-election violence (PEV) are now powerless and hesitant to plead their cases.
“You will bear the consequences alone. Yebei is in court over Baby Pendo,” Otieno stated, insisting that all officers currently misusing their power will be held accountable, regardless of whether they are still in service or not.
Baby Pendo was six months old when she was killed in the early hours of August 12, 2017. The case was brought forward by the Director of Public Prosecutions in 2017, based on recommendations from the Independent Policing and Oversight Authority (IPOA).
Utu Wetu Trust, The Law Society of Kenya Kisumu Chapter, IPOA, the Federation of Women Lawyers in Kenya (FIDA), the Independent Medico-Legal Unit (IMLU), and the International Justice Mission, among others, have been providing counsel to witnesses and victims.