Amnesty International Kenya has strongly condemned the Director of Public Prosecutions’ (DPP) decision to drop charges against eight police officers previously implicated in the brutal murder of Baby Samantha Pendo during the 2017 post-election violence.
Speaking on behalf of the organization, Mr. Kinyanjui criticized the move, pointing out that more than 60 victims suffered severe police brutality during the 2017 unrest. He insisted that such a decision must not go unchallenged, as it undermines justice and accountability.
Kinyanjui further noted that the decision to withdraw charges has been collectively denounced by the victims’ families, Amnesty International Kenya, the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) Kenya, Utu Weru Trust, International Justice Mission, and the Police Reforms Working Group. All these organizations have voiced concern over the exclusion of eight of the twelve originally implicated police officers from the case.
In a press release, Amnesty International stated:
“Today, four police officers took plea before the High Court of Kenya for crimes against humanity, including murder, rape, and torture committed against civilians during the 2017 elections.”
The organization also expressed disappointment over the DPP’s failure to consult the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) before dropping the charges, calling the process opaque and lacking accountability.
Amnesty further highlighted that the revised charges fail to include senior police commanders who bore ultimate responsibility for the operations in Kisumu County that led to deaths, sexual violence, and serious injuries to more than 60 people in 2017.
