Kenya: Al Jazeera Claims 500 Extrajudicial Deaths Yearly
Kenya's police squads have admitted for the first time to carrying out
extrajudicial killings. Speaking to Al Jazeera's Investigative Unit, the ...
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Kenya Police Admit 'Extrajudicial Killings'
By David Okwembah
10 December 2014
AN investigative report by Al Jazeera has alleged that government is behind
at least 500 extra-judicial killings every year. The show Inside Kenya's
Death Squads was broadcast on the international TV station last night and is
available on the Al Jazeera website.
Anti-Terrorism Police officers confirmed killing controversial Mombasa
cleric Abubakar Shariff Ahmed alias Makaburi with the assistance of foreign
intelligence agencies.
One ATPU. officer said their orders come from the National Security Council:
"It comprises of the President, Deputy President, Chief of the Defence
Forces, Inspector General of Police, National Security Intelligence Service
Director, Cabinet Secretary of Interior, and the Principal Secretary
Interior. Any decision is made within that club of people."
"Day in, day out, you hear of eliminating suspects. We have the police
itself. We have special units like GSU. So not a total, but you can say
about almost 500," said the ATPU officer.
Police spokesperson Zipporah Mboroki declined to comment about the report as
she has not seen it.
The programs manager at the Independent Medico Legal Unit, Hadley Muchela,
said he was not surprised. He said his organisation had recorded 182
extra-judicial killings in the last 11 months.
A GSU Recce Company officer said, "Since I was employed, I've killed over
50. Definitely, I do become proud because I've eliminated some problems."
Foreign intelligence agencies allegedly assisted in the assassination of two
Muslim clerics Sheikh Aboud Rogo in August 2012 and Makaburi in April in
Mombasa.
The police have always denied their involvement and even set up an inquest
in the murder of Sheikh Rogo.
In the Al Jazeera report, the officers blamed Kenya's weak judicial system
for forcing them to resort to assassinations.
"If the law cannot work, there's another option... Eliminate him," said the
Recce officer.
"Makaburi was killed by the police," said another officer. "That execution
was planned in Nairobi by very top, high-ranking police officers and
government officials."
Al Jazeera obtained confidential police reports showing Makaburi had
extensive links to al Shabaab and had planned bombings in Kenya.
The officers said that the intelligence, which drives the government's
"elimination programme," was supplied by Western security agencies.
"Once they give us the information, they know what they have told us. It is
ABCD: 'Mr. Jack' is involved in 'such and such' a kind of activity. Tomorrow
he's no longer there. We have worked. Definitely the report that you gave us
has been 'worked on',"said the GSU officer.
According to the officers, Britain provides training, equipment and
intelligence to the units,
"We get some instructors from Israel," said a GSU Radiation Unit officer
"How to eliminate. Actually it's one of the training."
Britain and Israel have denied involvement. The UK Foreign Office said it
had "raised concerns" with Kenya over the "serious allegations" of
extra-judicial killings,
Mark Ellis, the head of the International Bar Association, warned that this
could violate international law.
"It's clear based on these interviews that there's at least prima facie
evidence to suggest that these third party countries are involved and
therefore they all have responsibility to investigate," he said.
"We should stop providing any type of assistance or training to police units
in Kenya until there is a clear change... in how the Kenyan authorities deal
with suspects."
Received on Wed Dec 10 2014 - 07:35:37 EST